A lawsuit has been filed by a woman in Los Angeles against James Dolan, CEO of Madison Square Garden Sports, which counts the New York Knicks and New York Rangers among its assets, alleging he sexually assaulted and trafficked her in 2023 and 2024.
The lawsuit, according to a New York Times report and an Associated Press report, claims that Kellye Croft was pressured into unwanted sex on multiple occasions by Dolan after she was hired as a massage therapist for a music tour that was headlined by the rock band the Eagles.
Dolan is a singer for a blues band called JD & The Straight Shot. That band was the opening act on the tour.
James Dolan pressured woman to have sex repeatedly, according to the lawsuit
The Times story says that Dolan pressured Croft into having sex during a massage appointment. Then, according to the lawsuit, “she felt obligated to submit to set with him” several times on the tour.
Croft alleges that she was also assaulted by Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood producer who is serving multiple prison sentences on rape and sexual assault convictions. The lawsuit alleges that Dolan arranged a meeting between Croft and Weinstein in January 2014 because Weinstein said he wanted to hire her to provide massages to actors on movie sets.
The lawsuit alleges that Croft was chased into a hotel room by Weinstein, who was wearing a bathrobe. He then sexually assaulted her, the lawsuit states. When she told Dolan of the alleged attack, he neither seemed surprised nor offered to help her report the assault to police, she alleges. In the lawsuit, according to the report, she says: “James Dolan manipulated me, brought me to California to abuse me and then set me up for a vicious attack by Weinstein.”
James Dolan, Harvey Weinstein lawyers deny allegations
Dolan’s lawyer, E. Danya Perry, released a statement denying that Dolan sexually assaulted Croft or trafficked her to be assaulted by Weinstein.
“There is absolutely no merit to any of the allegations against Mr. Dolan. Kellye Croft and James Dolan had a friendship. 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.”
Weinstein’s lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, also released a statement, noting that Weinstein “vehemently denies these meritless allegations and looks forward to litigating these claims in a court of law where the truth will be revealed.”
The AP reported that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver did not comment specifically on the allegations Tuesday, saying he had only read news stories about the lawsuit, “so we’ll stand by and wait to find out more information.”
Silver has broad powers as commissioner to act in instances of wrongdoing.