Harvey Weinstein hospitalised after suffering heart failure in prison

The former film producer was transferred to a hospital prison ward after reportedly experiencing breathing problems

Harvey Weinstein has been taken to hospital after suffering acute heart failure while being held at Rikers Island in New York, adding to a growing list of serious health problems the former Hollywood producer has faced during his imprisonment.

According to multiple reports, including Metro, Weinstein experienced breathing difficulties while being treated for pneumonia at the correctional facility. The 74 year old was subsequently transferred to the Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward in Manhattan, where he remains under medical supervision.

Sources familiar with the situation said Weinstein is recovering but has not yet been cleared to return to prison. Neither New York correctional authorities nor hospital officials have publicly released further details regarding his condition.

Weinstein is currently being held at Rikers Island while awaiting sentencing following his 2025 conviction for sexual assault. His legal troubles have continued after a series of criminal and civil proceedings stemming from allegations made by dozens of women over several decades.

The former Miramax producer has repeatedly denied allegations of sexual assault and rape, maintaining that any sexual encounters were consensual. However, accusations against him from more than 100 women helped ignite the global Me Too movement, prompting widespread discussion about sexual misconduct, abuse of power and accountability within the entertainment industry and beyond.

His health has deteriorated significantly in recent years. In 2024, Weinstein was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, a form of blood and bone marrow cancer. He has also reportedly experienced numerous other medical complications while in custody, including heart related issues and recurring hospital admissions.

Last year, Weinstein was transferred to Bellevue Hospital after his legal team argued that he was receiving inadequate medical treatment while detained at Rikers Island. At the time, his lawyer cited alarming blood test results and described the prison conditions as inhumane.

Earlier this year, Weinstein publicly described his time in custody as a "slow march toward death" during a court appearance. He also told the court that the isolation had become unbearable and claimed his physical condition was continuing to decline.

In January, reports emerged that Weinstein had considered accepting a guilty plea agreement because of his worsening health. During court proceedings he acknowledged personal failings, saying he had been unfaithful and had behaved wrongly, but continued to deny committing sexual assault.

Weinstein first became the focus of international attention in 2017 after investigations by The New York Times and The New Yorker detailed allegations of sexual misconduct against him. The reports triggered criminal investigations and encouraged many other women to publicly share similar experiences.

In 2020, Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted in New York on rape and criminal sexual act charges. However, the New York Court of Appeals overturned that conviction in 2024, ruling that the original trial had been unfair because of the admission of testimony relating to allegations that were not part of the charges. He was later retried and convicted on one count of criminal sexual assault in 2025, while being acquitted on another charge. He has continued to challenge the legal proceedings against him.

Weinstein remains in hospital as doctors monitor his recovery from acute heart failure and pneumonia. It is not yet known when he will be medically fit to return to custody, and no further update has been provided by officials overseeing his care.