The pay off is huge in the Harvey Weinstein #MeToo class action against for harassment and assault.

Harvey has reportedly agreed to settle on $44M (the original amount requested was over $90M). $14M of this will go to his legal fees. His settlement while does not technically make him guilty it does not help the optics in his pending criminal case.

Harvey has been indicted on two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree and one count each of first-degree rape and third-degree rape.  Harvey faces life in prison if he is convicted of five charges. He is accused of forcibly performing oral sex on Mimi Haleyi in 2006, and of raping another unidentified woman in 2013. Prosecutors want to call additional women to establish a pattern of behavior, as was done in the trial of comedian Bill Cosby last year.

It was decided last week that the records would be remain sealed in his case to avoid bias and tainting the jury pool. The Weinstein trial was expected to begin in June, but the defense asked for additional time to prepare and has been rescheduled to September 9th.

Stay tuned…