Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein is facing a severe health crisis while incarcerated at New York City’s notorious Rikers Island, according to his representative Juda Engelmayer.
The 72-year-old has reportedly gained over 25 pounds since returning from Bellevue Hospital several months ago – with 19 of those pounds added in just the last month – exacerbating his existing diabetes and heart conditions.
Weinstein is currently back at Bellevue receiving treatment for acute tongue inflammation that has made swallowing difficult, raising concerns he could choke to death. His representative cites numerous systemic failures in his medical care, including “missed and delayed medications, unaddressed chest palpitations, and inadequate support for his mobility issues.”
The conditions at Rikers have reportedly worsened his decline, with inmates enduring freezing temperatures, unsanitary clothing shortages, and poor nutrition.
This latest health scare continues a pattern of medical emergencies for Weinstein during his incarceration. In the past year alone, he has battled double pneumonia, undergone heart surgery, and received a leukemia diagnosis.
Despite his deteriorating condition, Weinstein continues to maintain his innocence regarding his 2022 rape conviction and has recently inserted himself into actor Justin Baldoni’s legal matters, comparing their media portrayals.
Weinstein has repeatedly expressed desperation for his upcoming retrial, stating in January: “I want to be out of this hellhole…I want this to be over with.” Requests for comment to the New York City Department of Corrections regarding his treatment and conditions have gone unanswered.
The once-powerful Hollywood figure’s dramatic physical decline mirrors his fall from grace following multiple sexual assault convictions that sparked the global.
