Knicks Owner James Dolan Accused Of Sexual Assault, Trafficking
New York Knicks owner James Dolan was named in a California lawsuit Monday that accuses him of sexually assaulting and trafficking a masseuse.
The lawsuit stems from an incident in November 2013 when Dolan allegedly sexually assaulted Kellye Croft, while his band was on tour with The Eagles.
The lawsuit alleges that while Croft was massaging Dolan, he was "extremely assertive, and pressured Ms. Croft into unwanted sexual intercourse with him," despite her being adamant that she did not want to do so. Following that encounter, the suit says, Dolan repeatedly made sexual advances toward Croft.
Dolan was married at the time and more than 30 years Croft's senior.
(Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
Shortly after the initial incident, Croft flew to California to work as a massage therapist. However, the lawsuit states those were "fraudulent pretenses" and, instead, Croft was "trafficked" by Dolan to "engage in unlawful and unwelcome sex acts."
The lawsuit also alleges that Dolan "fraudulently coordinated" a meeting between Croft and former movie producer (and convicted sex offender) Harvey Weinstein in January 2014. Croft said Weinstein also sexually assaulted her.
Weinstein is currently serving a 39-year sentence for raping and sexually assaulting multiple women.
James Dolan Faces Serious Accusations
Croft said she was too traumatized by these events to come forward sooner.
"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," Croft said in a statement.
"But for me, to truly address my trauma, I need to seek accountability. James Dolan manipulated me, brought me to California to abuse me, and then set me up for a vicious attack by Weinstein. My hope is that my lawsuit will force Dolan to acknowledge what he did to me and to take responsibility for the harm he has caused."
James Dolan owns the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Dolan's lawyer, E. Danya Perry, said accusations against her client have "absolutely no merit." Dolan also denies having any knowledge of Weinstein's history of sexual misconduct at the time.
"The references to Harvey Weinstein are simply meant to inflame and appear to be plagiarized from prior cases against Mr. Weinstein. These claims reflect an act of retaliation by an attorney who has brought multiple cases against Mr. Dolan and has not, and cannot, win a judgement against him," Perry said in a statement.
"Mr. Dolan always believed Ms. Croft to be a good person and is surprised she would agree to these claims. 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."
Croft is seeking monetary damages and is demanding a trial by jury.
Follow Amber on X at @TheAmberHarding or email her at Amber.Harding@OutKick.com.