Harvey Weinstein accusers reach $44M deal over alleged sexual misconduct

Lawyers representing claims against American film producer Harvey Weinstein, his company and former associates have reached a $44 million settlement to resolve civil lawsuits over his alleged sexual misconduct.

The lawyers told a Delaware bankruptcy judge Thursday they have a deal that will be paid by insurance policies — not the disgraced movie mogul. It allocates about $14 million for legal fees to Weinstein associates who are named as defendants in the lawsuits.

The remaining $30 million will go to alleged victims, creditors and former employees of the Weinstein Co., a source with direct knowledge of the settlement tells CNN.

"We now have an economic agreement in principle that’s supported by the plaintiffs, the [New York Attorney General’s office], the defendants and all the insurers, that if approved will provide significant compensation to victims, creditors of the estate, and allow the parties to avoid years of costly, time consuming, and, you know, uncertain litigation on all sides,” Adam Harris, the lawyer for Weinstein, told the Judge

The New York Attorney General’s office filed a civil lawsuit last year, saying the Weinstein brothers and their company committed “egregious violations of New York’s civil rights, human rights, and business laws.”

The suit also alleges “employee-victim accounts of sexual harassment, intimidation and other misconduct,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.