According to The New Yorker, Harvey Weinstein hired several private investigators to track former victims and keep tabs on journalists investigating his past.

Based on documents and seven people directly involved, Weinstein hired Kroll Inc. and Black Cube “to suppress allegations that he had sexually harassed or assaulted numerous women.” Black Cube is a private intelligence agency staffed by former Israeli intelligence operatives, including ex-Mossad agents. The Honorary President of the Board, Meir Dagan, is the former head of Mossad.

According to The New Yorker report,

Two private investigators from Black Cube, using false identities, met with the actress Rose McGowan, who eventually publicly accused Weinstein of rape, to extract information from her. One of the investigators pretended to be a women’s-rights advocate and secretly recorded at least four meetings with McGowan. The same operative, using a different false identity and implying that she had an allegation against Weinstein, met twice with a journalist to find out which women were talking to the press. In other cases, journalists directed by Weinstein or the private investigators interviewed women and reported back the details.

The story is an indictment of the infrastructure provided by lawyers that allows powerful individuals to suppress their accusers for years while remaining activem, as they target new, unsuspecting victims.

Techniques like the ones used by the agencies on Weinstein’s behalf are almost always kept secret, and, because such relationships are often run through law firms, the investigations are theoretically protected by attorney-client privilege, which could prevent them from being disclosed in court. The documents and sources reveal the tools and tactics available to powerful individuals to suppress negative stories and, in some cases, forestall criminal investigations.

Weinstein’s then-attorney, David Boies, signed-off on most of the spying operations, telling The New Yorker, “at the time, it seemed a reasonable accommodation for a client.” Although he now calls the whole thing a “mistake,” Boies’ willingness to sign the spy contracts shows just how easy it is for a powerful individual utilize attorney-client privilege to their advantage.

Weinstein’s spokesperson, Sallie Hofmeister, said, “It is a fiction to suggest that any individuals were targeted or suppressed at any time.”

Related Reading

Harvey Weinstein’s Army of Spies

Harvey Weinstein Hired Investigators to Spy on Accusers, New Yorker Reports

Rose McGowan Says Harvey Weinstein Raped Her