The Weinstein Company’s announcement on Sunday came two weeks after Eric T. Schneiderman, New York’s attorney general, filed a lawsuit against the studio and its fraternal founders alleging that they repeatedly violated state and city laws barring gender discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and coercion.

Image Maria Contreras-Sweet led an investor group negotiating to buy the Weinstein Company. Credit... Earl Wilson/The New York Times

The lawsuit, based on a continuing investigation into the Weinstein Company’s internal dealings, was accompanied by a public call from Mr. Schneiderman for assurance that a sale to Ms. Contreras-Sweet’s group had three components: adequate compensation for victims, protections for the studio’s remaining employees and no financial reward for those “who enabled or perpetuated Mr. Weinstein’s misconduct.”

That brought the sale talks to a sudden halt.

In the wake of the lawsuit and Mr. Schneiderman’s public statements, the Weinstein Company fired its president, David Glasser, for cause. The lawsuit did not name Mr. Glasser, but it referred to him by his title and said that the sale of the company could result in employees’ reporting to some of the same managers “who failed to investigate” Mr. Weinstein’s conduct or protect female employees from him. In a statement, a lawyer for Mr. Glasser, Eve Wagner, said that Mr. Glasser planned to sue for wrongful termination.

On Wednesday, Ms. Contreras-Sweet and Mr. Burkle met with Mr. Schneiderman in New York and made progress toward persuading him that their purchase would satisfy his three stated priorities, according to two people briefed on the matter who asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

In particular, the sale was to include tens of millions of dollars for victims and a mediation process for reaching settlements. The Weinstein brothers, who jointly own about 42 percent of the studio, would have received no cash from the proposed sale, with other equity holders also wiped out.

Eric Soufer, the director of communications for Mr. Schneiderman, said in a statement on Monday that the attorney general’s office had “productive discussions with both parties” during the past two weeks about how to accomplish his priorities.

“We are disappointed that despite a clear path forward on those issues — including the buyer’s commitment to dedicate up to $90 million to victim compensation and implement gold-plated H.R. policies — the parties were unable to resolve their financial differences,” Mr. Soufer said. “We will continue to pursue justice for victims in the event of the company’s bankruptcy, and our investigation into the pattern of egregious abuse by Harvey Weinstein and his enablers is ongoing.”