Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced movie mogul, was in court on April 29, 2025, for his retrial in New York City. A former model, Kaja Sokola, accused Weinstein of sexual assault and testified that he first assaulted her when she was a teenager. Sokola claimed that in 2006, at the age of 19, Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her after inviting her to his hotel room under the pretense of reading a script.
During her testimony, Sokola detailed the alleged assault, stating that Weinstein ignored her pleas to stop and later remarked, “You see? That wasn’t too difficult.” She also mentioned receiving a birthday card from Weinstein that read, “Happy birthday to someone with a real zest for life.” Sokola disclosed that she never spoke about the incident at the time due to her young age and feelings of confusion and shame.
Sokola recounted another encounter with Weinstein in 2002 when she was 16 years old and aspiring to be an actress. She claimed that Weinstein invited her to his Manhattan apartment for work discussions, during which he allegedly requested her to undress and later forced her to touch his genitals. Despite feeling embarrassed and at fault, Sokola kept in contact with Weinstein for professional opportunities until the second alleged assault in 2006.
Sokola is one of three accusers testifying in Weinstein’s retrial, which includes additional criminal sex act charges as per a 2024 indictment. Weinstein, 73, has denied the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct made against him by multiple women. Additionally, Weinstein was convicted of rape and sexual assault in California in 2022, a conviction that remains valid.
Reports indicate that Weinstein has undergone treatment for bone marrow cancer and had emergency heart surgery at Bellevue Hospital in New York City in 2024.
