Sources intimately acquainted with Harvey Weinstein's predicament have disclosed to CNN that the embattled producer has been diagnosed with a grim diagnosis of bone cancer. Specifically, the source reveals that Weinstein is battling chronic myeloid leukemia, a rare and insidious cancer originating in the bone marrow, while enduring his incarceration on Rikers Island in New York, where he is also undergoing treatment.
Juda Engelmayer, Weinstein's long-standing spokesperson, declined to shed light on the diagnosis, maintaining a veil of silence. Similarly, Arthur Aidala, Weinstein's attorney, did not immediately acknowledge CNN's inquiries.
Adding to the intricacies of the situation, Craig Rothfeld, Weinstein's prison consultant and authorized health care representative in New York, firmly quashed any speculation surrounding the diagnosis. In a stern statement to CNN, Rothfeld expressed deep concern over the public scrutiny of Weinstein's private health matters, remarking, "It is both perturbing and unacceptable that such intimate and confidential health concerns have been thrust into the spotlight. Out of deference to Mr. Weinstein's privacy, we will not elaborate further."
NBC News was the first to break the news of Weinstein's diagnosis, which underscores the severity of his medical condition.
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is an uncommon malignancy that silently brews in the bone marrow, eventually permeating the bloodstream. According to the American Cancer Society, it is a slow-progressing form of leukemia that can transform into an acute and aggressive disease if not promptly addressed with targeted therapies. Scientists have invested years in refining treatments for CML due to its rarity among blood disorders.
Alarmingly, CML patients have a 15% to 30% chance of developing acute myeloid leukemia, and the disease disproportionately affects men.
Just last month, Weinstein underwent an emergency heart surgery, narrowly escaping life-threatening consequences. His spokesperson informed CNN that he was hastily transported to Bellevue Hospital in New York for the procedure and was swiftly discharged thereafter. "As we have consistently emphasized, Mr. Weinstein grapples with a myriad of serious health complications requiring ongoing medical attention," Weinstein's representatives emphasized in September.
Barely a week after his discharge, Weinstein appeared in court, vigorously pleading not guilty to a charge of criminal sexual act in the first degree, stemming from a new indictment by a grand jury earlier in the month.
Earlier this year, a significant turning point in the #MeToo movement saw an appeals court overturn Weinstein's 2020 conviction. However, his legal odyssey is not yet over, as he faces a tentative retrial in New York on November 12. Prosecutors have sought to consolidate multiple Weinstein cases into a single trial, a move vehemently opposed by his defense team.
On Monday, when questioned about the potential implications of Weinstein's cancer diagnosis on his upcoming trial, Engelmayer declined to comment.
