Sister of Weinstein Accuser Files Defamation Lawsuit in Ongoing Legal Drama

NEW YORK — A new legal battle has emerged in the wake of Harvey Weinstein’s most recent criminal trial, as Ewa Sokola filed a defamation lawsuit against her sister, Kaja Sokola, who had accused the disgraced movie producer of sexual assault.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, alleges that Kaja’s public remarks about her sister constitute libel and have damaged Ewa’s reputation and medical practice as a cardiologist in Wroclaw, Poland.

According to court documents, Ewa Sokola claims her younger sister has made false statements that have subjected her to “public hatred, shame, contempt, ridicule, ostracism and disgrace” in their hometown. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.

The conflict between the sisters stems from their divergent roles during Weinstein’s trial earlier this year. Kaja Sokola testified that Weinstein sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan hotel in 2006, just before her 20th birthday. Ewa Sokola, originally called as a prosecution witness to support her sister’s claims, ultimately provided testimony and evidence that bolstered the defense.

Ewa submitted a personal journal in which she had documented men who had sexually assaulted her throughout her life, but notably did not include any mention of Weinstein. This evidence became a significant point of contention between the sisters and played a role in the jury’s decision to acquit Weinstein on the charge related to Kaja’s allegations.

Following the trial, Kaja publicly criticized her sister’s testimony as a “betrayal.” According to the lawsuit, Kaja repeatedly made this characterization and falsely accused her sister of omitting journals that described what happened with Weinstein.

The lawsuit further alleges that Kaja falsely accused Ewa of “homicide, theft, falsification of medical records, sexual impropriety and immoral conduct,” as well as colluding with Weinstein’s defense team.

These accusations, the lawsuit contends, have had tangible consequences for Ewa’s medical practice, including fewer patient referrals, a reduction in patients and employees, and damage to her professional reputation within the medical community.

The Weinstein trial that sparked this family division resulted in a split verdict in June. The jury convicted Weinstein of forcibly performing oral sex on film and television production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006 but acquitted him on the charge involving Kaja Sokola’s allegations of similar conduct that same year.

The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the third charge, which alleged Weinstein raped former actor Jessica Mann, after the jury foreperson declined to continue deliberations. The judge subsequently declared a mistrial on that count.

Weinstein has not yet been sentenced for his conviction. His legal team has filed a motion to overturn the verdict after two jurors told Weinstein’s lawyers that other jurors had bullied them into convicting him. Judge Curtis Farber is expected to rule on this request on January 8.

The circumstances surrounding Kaja Sokola’s allegations involved Weinstein arranging for her to work as an extra for a day on the film “The Nanny Diaries.” He separately agreed to meet with both Kaja and Ewa. Kaja testified that after they chatted, Weinstein told her he had a script to show her in his hotel room. She went with him, where she alleges he pushed her onto a bed and assaulted her.

This latest legal development adds another layer to the already complex legal aftermath of the Weinstein scandal, which helped catalyze the #MeToo movement and led to a broader societal reckoning with sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry and beyond.

Attempts to reach Kaja Sokola’s lawyers and spokesperson for comment on Thursday and Friday were unsuccessful.