Female-led investor groups ‘preparing offers’ for Weinstein company  

LOS ANGELES - Agence France-Presse

Two female-led investor groups are interested in taking over The Weinstein Company, which is on the verge of bankruptcy after the sexual misconduct allegations that have poured in against co-founder Harvey Weinstein, said U.S. media and a source close to the issue.

One is led by Killer Content, an audiovisual production company, and includes the documentary filmmaker Abigail Disney and the New York Women’s Foundation.

It is preparing to make an offer for film and TV assets held by the production company co-founded by the disgraced Hollywood mogul and his brother Bob, said a source close to the operation and contacted on Nov. 22 by AFP.

These parties plan to donate part of the profits from the company to organizations that work to help victims of sexual assault.

A second offer is being prepared by Maria Contreras-Sweet, who led the Small Business Administration under the presidency of Barack Obama.

In a letter to the company’s board, Contreras-Sweet said she has assembled “a first class team of financial partners, advisors and consultants.”    

In the letter, published by several US media outlets including the online magazine Deadline, Contreras-Sweet said it was essential that a board led by women take over The Weinstein Company.

Deadline reported that the Contreras-Sweet group is offering $275 million (232 million euros) for the firm.

More than 100 women have now come forward to accuse Weinstein of sexual harassment or assault over the past 40 years.

Since the stream of accusations began in October, Weinstein Company projects have come to a halt and many companies and people who worked with it have shunned the company.