By: Veronica Schubert and Saya Alvares

Sports Editor and People Editor

Content warning: this article contains references to sexual assault and rape.

On Jan. 16, 2024, Kellye Croft filed a federal lawsuit against James Dolan, executive chairman of Madison Square Garden Sports Corporation (Dolan heads the NBA’s Knicks and NHL’s Rangers), alleging he trafficked and assaulted her in 2013. Croft claims that Dolan sexually assaulted her and set her up to be molested by Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year sentence in New York for rape and sexual assault. 

Croft alleges that in 2013 when working as a licensed massage therapist, Dolan repeatedly used his power to manipulate her “to submit to sex with him,” and that he was “extremely assertive, and pressured Ms. Croft into unwanted sexual intercourse with him.” The lawsuit states that “Dolan pulled Ms. Croft towards him… Ms. Croft tried to bring the massage to an end, but Dolan proceeded to come on even stronger… grabbed Ms. Croft’s hands, dragging her to a couch in the same room and forcing her hands between his knees as he sat down. Ms. Croft was adamant that she did not want to have any sexual interactions with Dolan, who was married at the time and over thirty years older than Ms. Croft.” 

The lawsuit states that when Dolan’s band, which was on tour with the Eagles, traveled to Los Angeles, Dolan flew Croft out even though almost no tour members signed up for massages. In Los Angeles, Dolan allegedly continued to “sexually exploit” her, and she alleges that Dolan orchestrated a seemingly consequential meeting between Croft and Weinstein in an elevator in early 2014. According to the suit, Weinstein offered her opportunities to work on film sets, then changed into a “loosely tied” bathrobe and asked her for a massage. She felt uncomfortable and left his suite, but Weinstein followed her and forced his way into her room, then he sexually assaulted her. Croft claims that when she informed Dolan of Weinstein’s conduct, he was unsurprised, and Dolan stated,“we all knew [that Weinstein] had problems.”

Douglas Wigdor, Croft’s attorney, has been the lawyer for multiple suits against Dolan and Weinstein. One in 2017, where Dolan was named, was against the board of directors of Weinstein’s film production company, stating that the board members were aware of Weinstein’s misconduct and did nothing to stop it. 

Eleven years later, Croft is seeking trial by jury and unspecified damages. In a statement, Croft said: “I have suffered so profoundly because of what James Dolan and Harvey Weinstein did to me years ago, and it was not an easy decision to come forward and seek justice…But for me, to truly address my trauma, I need to seek accountability.”

Dolan’s lawyer, E. Danya Perry repeatedly dismissed Croft’s allegations, calling them “act[s] of retaliation.” Perry claims there is “absolutely no merit” to Croft’s claims, and the mentions of Weinstein were “meant only to inflame.” In a statement, Perry said that “Kellye Croft and James Dolan had a friendship… Bottom line, this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up our position. We look forward to proving that in court.” 

(Sources: CNN, NBC)