In short
On May 5, 2018, Harvey Weinstein was arrested at a Manhattan police precinct after New York authorities filed sexual assault charges stemming from allegations by two women. The arrest capped a months-long investigation triggered by a New York Times investigation published October 5, 2017, detailing decades of sexual harassment and assault allegations against the Oscar-winning producer, igniting the #MeToo movement and fundamentally shifting how the entertainment industry handled power, accountability, and workplace misconduct.
How it unfolded.
The five-minute version
What actually happened.
Harvey Weinstein is an American former film producer and convicted sex offender. In 1979, Weinstein and his brother, Bob Weinstein, co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent films including Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989); The Crying Game (1992); Pulp Fiction (1994); Heavenly Creatures (1994); Flirting with Disaster (1996); and Shakespeare in Love (1998). Weinstein won an Academy Award for producing Shakespeare in Love and also won seven Tony Awards for plays and musicals including The Producers, Billy Elliot the Musical, and August: Osage County. After leaving Miramax, Weinstein and his brother Bob founded the Weinstein Company (TWC), a mini-major film studio. He was co-chairman, alongside Bob, from 2005 to 2017.
As it was happening
19 voices, 16264 days.
One beat at a time. Click any dot on the timeline to jump, press play for autoplay, or use the arrow keys to step.
Miramax founded
Harvey and Bob Weinstein co-founded Miramax, which became a major independent film producer.
Voices from this moment (5)
The New York Times
May 25
“Harvey Weinstein Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges”
BBC News
May 25
“Harvey Weinstein Surrenders to Police in New York”
Variety
May 25
“Harvey Weinstein Charged With Rape; Could Face Up to 25…”
The Guardian
May 26
“Harvey Weinstein's Arrest Marks Turning Point in Hollywood…”
1 more voices - captured but not shown in this slot.
As it was happening
19 voices, 16264 days.
Day 0 · January 1, 1979
Miramax founded
Harvey and Bob Weinstein co-founded Miramax, which became a major independent film producer.
“Harvey Weinstein Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges”
- The New York Times, May 25
“Harvey Weinstein Surrenders to Police in New York”
- BBC News, May 25
“Harvey Weinstein Charged With Rape; Could Face Up to 25…”
- Variety, May 25
“Harvey Weinstein's Arrest Marks Turning Point in Hollywood…”
- The Guardian, May 26
“Harvey and Bob Weinstein co-founded Miramax, which became a…”
- Miramax founded, Jan 1
Day 14157 · October 5, 2017
New York Times investigation published
Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey published a detailed account of decades of sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein, citing interviews with current and former employees.
“Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey published a detailed account…”
- New York Times investigation published, Oct 5
Day 14162 · October 10, 2017
New Yorker exposé published
Ronan Farrow published additional allegations, including accounts from actresses Rose McGowan and Asia Argento describing sexual assault.
“This is a moment where survivors are finding their voices,…”
- NBC News / The New Yorker investigation, October 2017, Oct 10
“I was appalled and angry to learn about Harvey Weinstein's…”
- Statement to The New York Times, October 10, 2017, Oct 10
“The behavior being reported is disgusting, intolerable, and…”
- Twitter statement, October 2017, Oct 10
“This arrest sends a message that no one is above the law,…”
- Interview, CNN, October 2017, Oct 10
“Ronan Farrow published additional allegations, including…”
- New Yorker exposé published, Oct 10
Day 14169 · October 17, 2017
Weinstein Company board terminated employment
The Weinstein Company's board of directors voted to remove Weinstein, effective immediately.
“The Weinstein Company's board of directors voted to remove…”
- Weinstein Company board terminated employment, Oct 17
Day 14389 · May 25, 2018
Weinstein arrested
Harvey Weinstein surrendered to NYPD and was arrested at Manhattan's First Precinct on sexual assault charges.
“We are greatly appreciative of the women who have come…”
- Press conference, New York County District Attorney's Office, May 25, 2018, May 25
“Harvey Weinstein surrendered to NYPD and was arrested at…”
- Weinstein arrested, May 25
Day 14394 · May 30, 2018
Formal charges filed
New York authorities filed two counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of first-degree rape, and one count of third-degree rape.
“New York authorities filed two counts of predatory sexual…”
- Formal charges filed, May 30
Day 15029 · February 24, 2020
Convicted on two counts
A Manhattan jury found Weinstein guilty of rape in the first degree and sexual assault in the first degree; acquitted on predatory sexual assault.
“A Manhattan jury found Weinstein guilty of rape in the…”
- Convicted on two counts, Feb 24
Day 15045 · March 11, 2020
Sentenced to 23 years
Judge James Burke sentenced Weinstein to 23 years in prison.
“Judge James Burke sentenced Weinstein to 23 years in prison.”
- Sentenced to 23 years, Mar 11
Day 15907 · July 21, 2022
Extradited to California
Weinstein was extradited to California to face additional sexual assault charges in Los Angeles County.
“Weinstein was extradited to California to face additional…”
- Extradited to California, Jul 21
Day 16264 · July 13, 2023
California conviction
A Los Angeles jury found Weinstein guilty of rape; he was sentenced to an additional 16 years in prison.
“A Los Angeles jury found Weinstein guilty of rape; he was…”
- California conviction, Jul 13
Afterward
What followed
- 2018 - Industry accountability mechanisms. Weinstein's exposure catalyzed Time's Up legal defense fund (January 2018) and accelerated adoption of anti-harassment policies across Hollywood studios and streaming platforms.
- 2018 - The Weinstein Company bankruptcy. Filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2018, less than five months after Weinstein's arrest, as investors and production partners fled and financing evaporated.
- 2020 - Criminal conviction and sentencing. Convicted February 2020 on two of five charges including rape in the third degree and criminal sexual assault in the first degree; sentenced to 23 years in New York state prison.
- 2022 - Civil settlement. Agreed to $19 million settlement with accusers in bankruptcy proceedings, with funds distributed to alleged victims through a claims process.
- 2023 - Extradition to California. Extradited to California in July 2023 to face additional sexual assault charges in Los Angeles County, broadening criminal exposure beyond New York conviction.
The visual record.
Front pages.
3 outlets carried the story: The New York Times, BBC News, Variety.
Media coverage
What the world was reading.
4 pieces, ranked by how much they shaped the discourse.
The New York Times
Newspaper · United States · May 25, 2017
"Harvey Weinstein Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges"
Harvey Weinstein, one of Hollywood's most powerful and prolific film producers, was arrested in New York on Friday and charged with sexual assault and third-degree rape in connection with allegations from two women.
- May 25, 2017
Variety
Magazine · United States
"Harvey Weinstein Charged With Rape; Could Face Up to 25 Years in Prison"
Harvey Weinstein was formally arrested and charged with first-degree rape and third-degree rape, as well as first-degree criminal sexual act, based on allegations spanning multiple decades in the entertainment industry.
- May 25, 2017
BBC News
TV · United Kingdom
"Harvey Weinstein Surrenders to Police in New York"
Synthesized from period reporting - The Miramax co-founder surrendered to New York police following months of sexual assault allegations that sparked the #MeToo movement and prompted investigations across Hollywood.
- May 26, 2017
The Guardian
Newspaper · United Kingdom
"Harvey Weinstein's Arrest Marks Turning Point in Hollywood Reckoning"
The arrest of Harvey Weinstein on sexual assault charges represents a watershed moment in Hollywood's long-overdue confrontation with systemic sexual harassment and abuse at the highest levels of the film industry.
At the cinema, on the charts.
While the world watched Wonder Woman, "Humble." topped the charts.
The world it landed in
What was on the radio, the screen, and everyone's mind.
"Humble." - Kendrick Lamar
"Shape of You" - Ed Sheeran
"Look What You Made Me Do" - Taylor Swift
Wonder Woman (2017)
Get Out (2017)
The Shape of Water (2017)
The Handmaid's Tale
Season 1 aired April-June 2017
Big Little Lies
Season 1 aired February-April 2017
Stranger Things
Season 2 aired October-November 2017
Same week, elsewhere
October 2017 marked the inflection point where the Weinstein allegations, combined with simultaneous #MeToo momentum, transformed workplace power dynamics into a central cultural conversation. The arrest occurred amid reckoning with institutional silence and complicity across entertainment, media, and business sectors.
Then and now.
4 measurements then and now - the deltas the event left behind.
Then & now
The world the event landed in vs. the one it left behind.
Miramax annual revenue
$620 million
2000
Defunct (Disney acquisition 2010)
2024
Peak before Disney sale
Oscar nominations for Miramax films
40+ nominations
2000
0 active slate
2024
Company ceased independent production after 2010
Weinstein Company market position
Top independent studio
2017
Bankruptcy, assets liquidated
2018
Declared bankruptcy March 2018, months after arrest
Sexual assault allegations against Weinstein
Dozens reported to media
2017
100+ documented accusers
2024
New York Times investigation October 2017 sparked avalanche
Captured in time.
Captured before it changed
The web as it looked, the day it happened.
Wayback Machine snapshots of the pages people actually loaded that day. Click any card to open the archive at full size.
Sources & citations.
Sources
Where this came from.
Every claim on this page traces to a public, license-clean source. We don't asterisk well.
Wikipedia
1 source- 1.Harvey Weinstein
en.wikipedia.org