The board of The Weinstein Company lost its fifth board member to the Harvey Weinstein scandal as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was set to gather on Saturday morning to decide whether to expel the disgraced mogul.
Richard Koenigsberg, an independent board member and Harvey and Bob Weinstein’s former accountant, has resigned, according to the New York Times.
This leaves just three members left, including Harvey’s brother and co-founder Bob Weinstein, Lance Maerov and Tarak Ben Ammar, as the company’s future is in question. Four members resigned last week: billionaire publishing heir and investor Dirk Ziff, Paul Tudor Jones, Tim Sarnoff and Marc Lasry.
The Academy’s 54-member board is gathering Saturday morning to decide on Weinstein’s fate.
The movie industry’s most respected organization called Weinstein’s behavior “repugnant” in a statement released Wednesday, and is planning to “discuss the allegations against Weinstein and any actions warranted by the Academy.” On Thursday, CBS Films President Terry Press threatened to resign from the Academy if the meeting doesn’t result in Weinstein’s expulsion.
In the past week, The Weinstein Company has lost over half its board. Before Koenigsberg’s resignation, board members Marc Lasry, Dirk Ziff, Paul Tudor Jones and Tim Sarnoff stepped down, and this past Sunday, the remaining board members unanimously chose to fire Weinstein.
TWC has also lost projects due to this scandal. Apple cancelled its plans for a Weinstein-produced series about Elvis Presley, and Amazon has withdrawn plans for a mafia series directed by David O. Russell that also had the Weinsteins’ name attached to it. Amazon had previously ordered two seasons for the show, with the budget reported to be $160 million.
Academy members face a momentous decision on Saturday, with some members insisting that Weinstein be expelled.
“Maybe its possible that some people did not know about his sick and debased behavior,” Press wrote, “But what is not possible is for ANYONE to stay they didn’t know he was a sociopathic bully who has always mistreated his employees and staff, displayed monstrous narcissism and cruelty and enjoyed being a sadist.”
“The idea that anyone would give him a second chance or entertain the notion that he can change is beyond absurd,” she added.