Knicks owner James Dolan hit with suit claiming he pressured masseuse into sex — who then sent him seductive messages months later
A massage therapist claims she was pressured into sex with Madison Square Garden boss James Dolan in 2013, then sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein months later, according to a new lawsuit.
In a sex assault and trafficking suit filed in California federal court Tuesday, Kellye Croft, now 38, claims Dolan initially befriended her while she worked as a masseuse on a 2013 tour featuring the Eagles and Dolan’s band, J.D. and the Straight Shot.
A lawyer for Dolan called the case “meritless” Tuesday, arguing that the inclusion of convicted sex offender Weinstein’s toxic name was meant to “inflame.”
“Mr. Dolan is surprised she would agree to these claims,” E. Danya Perry said in a statement.
“There is compelling evidence to back up our position.”
Evidence seen by The Post includes a seductive email Croft sent Dolan — after she claimed to have been “obligated to submit to sex,” with him.
According to the suit, Croft was initially hired to join the tour — which was financed in part by Dolan’s businesses — to provide massages for late Eagles frontman Glenn Frey.
However, Croft was allowed to massage Dolan and other members of the band and crew as part of her deal.
The court papers allege Dolan scheduled appointments with Croft, and noted she was visibly upset during one massage.
Croft confided in Dolan that she had been ostracized by other members of the tour after they blamed her for the removal of Eagles manager Tom Golseth, whom she’d had an argument with before he was expelled from the tour.
Dolan, she said, promised to handle the situation and shortly after, Frey began groveling for Croft’s forgiveness.
“Frey called Ms. Croft and apologized repeatedly and profusely to her for the situation with Golseth,” the suit states.
The suit claims Croft joined the tour again in Miami that November and he said “I told you I would take care of it,” before making a sexual advance toward the end of a massage.
Croft told him she was uninterested in sexual relations and noted in the suit Dolan was 30 years older than her and married at the time.
She felt “disgusted and terrified” but submitted to sex because of Dolan’s position of influence, the case asserts.
However, Croft continued to have sex with Dolan several times after that initial encounter and to give him professional massages during the tour, according to the suit.
“Ms. Croft was disgusted by Dolan, but her youth and extreme loneliness on the road … made it possible for Dolan to manipulate Ms. Croft and lure her under [his] control,” the suit, filed by attorney Douglas Wigdor, argues.
However, The Post has seen correspondence from December 2014, long after Croft claimed she had broken away from Dolan’s “unwelcome advances,” and “extremely manipulative” behavior.
An email Croft sent contained a link to a hardcore pornography site saying it is “more realistic erotic massage porn than most,” and wishes Dolan Merry Christmas.
She then offers “a little something extra” in the form of a picture of a naked woman with her cleavage bared but her hands partly covering her breasts.
Speaking on behalf of Croft, Wigdor said she had sent Dolan a link to the erotic site and a “private picture” in order to “deflect his requests” and added sexual assault victims “can and do continue to have complicated relationships with their abusers.”
However, Dolan’s attorneys noted how Wigdor has previously filed a case against him on behalf of former Knick Charles Oakley over his 2017 ejection from Madison Square Garden.
“These claims reflect an act of retaliation by an attorney who has brought multiple cases against Mr. Dolan and has not, and cannot, win a judgment against him,” Perry said.
Croft’s suit goes on to explain how she joined the Eagles in California in late 2013 when they performed a residency in Los Angeles.
She again engaged in sexual relations with Dolan — and Croft believed the business titan had developed deeper feelings for her.
At the time they were all staying at the Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills, where Croft encountered Weinstein after a day of shopping while waiting for an elevator, according to the suit.
Weinstein struck up conversation, said he was friends with Dolan, and mentioned he had openings for a masseuse on his movie sets.
According to the suit, she agreed to discuss the scenario in Weinstein’s suite, upon which he started demanding a massage.
When Croft declined, Weinstein is said to have told her: “Well, this is just how people do things in Hollywood … If you will not be reasonable and not be able to handle things on the fly, you won’t make it in Hollywood.”
She eventually left his suite and headed to her own room, but Weinstein allegedly followed her into her room wearing only a robe, backed her onto a bed and attempted to penetrate her, the suit states.
At that point, the phone rang, and Croft told Weinstein it was likely Dolan in an attempt to end his advances, which turned out to be true and gave her an opportunity to leave.
“You know Jim and I are best friends,” Weinstein allegedly told her. “He’s going to be very disappointed you led me on. This won’t look good for you.”
Croft said she later told Dolan what happened and he told her Weinstein was “troubled” and both he and other friends of the mogul — who at that time had yet to be publicly accused of sexual manipulation — had urged him to get help.
The suit contends Dolan had arranged for Weinstein to encounter her in the hotel lobby, without elaborating further.
Traumatized, Croft left the tour and returned to Tennessee. The case — which seeks unspecified damages — asserts Croft’s experiences led to a downward spiral into depression and drug use.
An attorney for Weinstein, who is currently serving 39 years in prison for sex crimes in New York and Los Angeles, denied the incident.
Attorney Jennifer Bonjean told The Post: “Mr. Weinstein vehemently denies these meritless allegations and looks forward to litigating these claims in a court of law where the truth will be revealed.”
Croft’s lawsuit was filed as part of a newly opened window for historical sexual offenses that took place in California between 2009 and 2019. The lookback window will remain open until 2026.
