A Los Angeles jury on Monday is set to begin hearing evidence in a sexual assault and rape case against disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein, who is already serving 23 years in prison following a 2020 conviction.
It took dozens upon dozens of women coming forward, the #MeToo feminist movement and a jury in New York in the previous case to ultimately put Weinstein behind bars, but it was a Hollywood outsider who gave the initial push that led to his downward spiral.
When Houston lawyer Tom Ajamie got a call in 2016 from board members of the Foundation for Aids Research (amfAR) asking him to perform an internal investigation into a questionable financial transaction involving Weinstein it was just another day, another missing dollar — or so he thought.
“I thought I would maybe do 10 or 20 interviews, fly around a little bit, get some bank records, say 'this is what happened' and put together a report,” Mr Ajamie said in an exclusive interview with The National.
At the time, Weinstein was a major force in the film industry, with producing credits such as Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare in Love and The English Patient — although there had always been whispers of the mogul's inappropriate and abusive behaviour towards women within the ranks of Hollywood.
“I didn't know anything really about Harvey Weinstein,” said Mr Ajamie, whose grandfather emigrated to the US from Lebanon. “I knew the independent films he'd come out with … but I knew nothing about the man.”
The money in question involved “some secret deal” with Weinstein and board member Kenneth Cole, according to Mr Ajamie, which stipulated that if a certain amount of money was raised by auction items brokered by Weinstein at the charity's 2015 gala, $600,000 would be funnelled off and donated to the American Repertory Theatre (ART) at Harvard University.
Mr Cole did not respond to several requests for comment.
But what had started as a relatively simple $600,000 question soon snowballed into something much more sinister.
Even though Mr Ajamie never asked the people he questioned about physical misconduct, an overwhelming number started to volunteer incriminating evidence.
“The first words out of just virtually 80 per cent of people, almost everyone … was 'Harvey's bad news, Harvey's a thug, you know, Harvey's a bully'," said Mr Ajamie.
Mr Ajamie said that word about his investigation quickly spread and eventually people started asking him to help Weinstein's victims.
“Someone said they knew three women who had been raped and needed help. I just kept hearing the words bully, bad guy, liar, rapist, sexual predator,” said Mr Ajamie. “Suddenly dozens of women want to talk to [me].”
Weinstein's 2020 conviction saw him sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting a former production assistant in 2006 and raping a one-time aspiring actress in 2013.
Once Weinstein got wind that Mr Ajamie had been investigating him, he began to accuse Mr Ajamie of creating a smear campaign.
Even members of the amfAR board accused him of ruining their relationship with someone who had been a cash cow, Mr Ajamie said. Others warned him to tread lightly.
“Some said 'be really careful, because he is a bully … he sues everyone,” Mr Ajamie said.
“He gets mad, he's punched people, he threw a reporter downstairs one time — the fellow still has physical disabilities from that. He's beaten up his own brother.”
Mr Ajamie wrote his internal report and included the statements made regarding Weinstein's sexual violence.
Weinstein then threatened to sue the amfAR board, claiming that everything was a lie and that Mr Ajamie was "trying to ruin his sterling reputation". The board members who had supported Mr Ajamie efforts found that they, too, would encounter Weinstein's wrath.
"We were giving him [Weinstein] an award at the 2015 event, too, so there was a general expectation for him to help sell some tables and I don't even remember that happening," Dr Mervyn Silverman told The National.
Dr Silverman has sat on the board of amfAR for almost every year since it began and was its president for 10 years.
He recalled that he and three other board members who supported Mr Ajamie's investigation were asked by Weinstein's attorney to sign a non-disclosure agreement and also accused of launching a smear campaign.
"I told them right away that there was no way I would sign anything," he said.
After Mr Ajamie's months-long report was concluded, he had a face-to-face encounter with Weinstein at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, in 2017.
“He began screaming at me, ‘You’re telling everyone I rape women. You’re causing problems for me. I have a very good reputation. And you’re the source of all these rumours’,” Mr Ajamie said. "‘I slept with dozens and dozens of women, and you know they all won Academy Awards’, like that justified it.”
In the middle of the rant, Weinstein insisted that Mr Ajamie sign a non-disclosure agreement, produced by his lawyer David Boies. Mr Ajamie, who said he had been kept in this “meeting” for two hours, refused and said: “I have zero obligations to you.”
Weinstein then insisted that Mr Ajamie retract everything in his internal report to amfAR and to “hush”. That is when Mr Ajamie made for the door.
“He runs over, gets in my face, not in a threatening way, and then hugs me and says in desperation, 'Come on, man. Please just help me. Don't be like this. Stop. I need help … let's just talk',” said Mr Ajamie.
He then followed Mr Ajamie to the elevators but wouldn't enter the lift with him.
“As the doors were closing, he just — the face fell,” said Mr Ajamie. “And it was clear to me, clear as day, the next time I was going to see Harvey was in a courtroom.”
Mr Ajamie said that after that encounter, he was under siege and alone for about a year.
“Literally alone, like no one else, like, no one was supporting me,” he said.
Meanwhile, two New York Times reporters, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, had not only gotten wind of Mr Ajamie's investigation, but of the multiple allegations of Weinstein's sexual misconduct. They reached out to Mr Ajamie in what is now a historic phone call.
"I told them what I could tell them ... there's some certain things I couldn't tell them, attorney-client confidential. But I told them enough," said Mr Ajamie.
And then came the #MeToo avalanche.
“So the rest is history, right?”
In 2017, dozens of women began to come forward, accusing Weinstein of rape or other sexual misconduct. Actresses including Alyssa Milano, Helena Bonham Carter, Cate Blanchett and Kate Beckinsale claimed the producer had touched them inappropriately, made suggestive remarks or forced them into sexual situations.
In the trial starting on Monday, Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to four counts of rape and seven other counts of sexual assault in the Beverly Hills and Los Angeles area between 2004 and 2013. He also faces sexual assault charges in London.
The #MeToo movement, which encouraged people to speak out about abuse, led to the downfall of several major Hollywood players, including actor Danny Masterson as well as screenwriter Paul Haggis, all of whom are on trial facing sexual misconduct allegations.
ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE FIXTURES
Thursday, September 21
Al Dahfra v Sharjah (kick-off 5.35pm)
Al Wasl v Emirates (8.30pm)
Friday, September 22
Dibba v Al Jazira (5.25pm)
Al Nasr v Al Wahda (8.30pm)
Saturday, September 23
Hatta v Al Ain (5.25pm)
Ajman v Shabab Al Ahli (8.30pm)
Bharatanatyam
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
More on Quran memorisation:
Avatar%20(2009)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.6-litre%2C%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E285hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E353Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh159%2C900%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Juliot Vinolia’s checklist for adopting alternate-day fasting
- Don’t do it more than once in three days
- Don’t go under 700 calories on fasting days
- Ensure there is sufficient water intake, as the body can go in dehydration mode
- Ensure there is enough roughage (fibre) in the food on fasting days as well
- Do not binge on processed or fatty foods on non-fasting days
- Complement fasting with plant-based foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood. Cut out processed meats and processed carbohydrates
- Manage your sleep
- People with existing gastric or mental health issues should avoid fasting
- Do not fast for prolonged periods without supervision by a qualified expert
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Job: Fitness entrepreneur, body-builder and trainer
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite quote: We must become the change we want to see, by Mahatma Gandhi.
Favourite car: Lamborghini
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Duterte Harry: Fire and Fury in the Philippines
Jonathan Miller, Scribe Publications
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nag%20Ashwin%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrabhas%2C%20Saswata%20Chatterjee%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%2C%20Shobhana%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes.
The car
Hertz offers compact car rental from about $300 (Dh1,100) per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.
The national park
Entry to Mount Rainier National Park costs $30 for one vehicle and passengers for up to seven days. Accommodation can be booked through mtrainierguestservices.com. Prices vary according to season. Rooms at the Holiday Inn Yakima cost from $125 per night, excluding breakfast.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
Bawaal%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nitesh%20Tiwari%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Varun%20Dhawan%2C%20Janhvi%20Kapoor%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Levante v Real Mallorca (12am)
Leganes v Barcelona (4pm)
Real Betis v Valencia (7pm)
Granada v Atletico Madrid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (12am)
Espanyol v Getafe (3pm)
Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao (5pm)
Eibar v Alaves (7pm)
Villarreal v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Valladolid v Sevilla (12am)
Huroob Ezterari
Director: Ahmed Moussa
Starring: Ahmed El Sakka, Amir Karara, Ghada Adel and Moustafa Mohammed
Three stars
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
