Harvey Weinstein has tested positive for coronavirus while in prison. The convicted sex offender - who was found guilty of rape and sexual assault last month and sentenced to 23 years in prison - is now in isolation at Wende Correctional Facility in New York, the maximum security prison where he is being held. He had previously been at Rikers Island jail, where it has been reported that 21 inmates and another 17 workers have tested positive for the virus. Before arriving at Wende, Weinstein has also recently been treated for heart problems and chest pains.
The president of the New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, Michael Powers, confirmed that Weinstein's test came back positive on Sunday morning. He added that several police officers have since been quarantined.
A lawyer for Weinstein said his legal team had not been informed of the diagnosis. ’Given Mr Weinstein's state of health, we are of course concerned, if this is the case, and we are vigilantly monitoring the situation,’ Imran Ansari said.
The 68-year-old was convicted of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping former aspiring actress Jessica Mann in 2013. Despite more than 90 women coming forward to accuse Weinstein of various crimes including rape, sexual assault and harassment, he was only standing trial for five felony charges against two women.
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