Harvey Weinstein has been diagnosed with cancer.
The disgraced movie mogul, who is currently serving a combined 39-year prison sentence following two trials where he was found guilty of rape and sexual assault, has chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of bone marrow cancer.
The news was confirmed by his spokesperson, who said they were ‘dismayed’ that his medical diagnosis had been made public.
‘Craig Rothfeld, Mr. Weinstein’s authorised legal healthcare representative in New York State, expresses profound dismay at the speculation surrounding Mr. Weinstein’s medical condition,’ Juda Engelmayer in a statement provided to Variety.
‘It is both troubling and unacceptable that such private and confidential health matters have become a subject of public discourse.
‘Out of respect for Mr. Weinstein’s privacy, we will offer no further comment.’
Weinstein most recently appeared in a Manhattan court in September, his first time after undergoing heart surgery.
After being wheeled in by courthouse security guards in a wheelchair, he pleaded not guilty to an additional criminal sex act charge he was indicted on a week prior in New York.
It came after his lawyer Arthur Aidala claimed Weinstein ‘almost died’ following emergency heart surgery.
Over the summer he had also been hospitalised for other issues including diabetes, while he also contracted Covid and double pneumonia while in hospital.
What is chronic myeloid leukaemia?
Chronic myeloid leukaemia is a rare type of cancer that affects the bone marrow and white blood cells.
It is more common in people aged over 65 and, according to the NHS, ‘develops slowly, over several years, and is usually treatable’.
Earlier this year, in April, the New York Court of Appeals overturned Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction.
The appeals court ruled that his original trial erred by allowing three additional accusers to testify about their own assault allegations, when they should not have been permitted.
Their testimonies were ruled to be prejudiced against Weinstein and didn’t shed any light on the charges he faced; the appeals court then vacated the conviction and ordered a retrial.
The new trial was tentatively set for November, however it now looks set to run next year.
Allegations against Weinstein helped launch the #MeToo movement in 2017, a watershed moment for women fighting sexual misconduct.
More than 80 women accused him of harassment, sexual assault or rape, including actors Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd.
Weinstein has always denied that he assaulted or raped anyone.
In 1979, he and his brother Bob co-founded the Hollywood studio Miramax Films, which was behind blockbusters including Pulp Fiction and Shakespeare in Love, which won him a best picture Oscar.