Harvey Weinstein expelled from motion picture academy amid sexual harassment scandal

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization announced in a statement.

The decision was made after the Academy's Board of Governors convened for an emergency meeting on Saturday, days after allegations of sexual harassment against Weinstein came to light in the pages of the New York Times and the New Yorker magazine.

The virtually unprecedented expulsion, which came after a vote "well in excess of the required two-thirds majority," was effective immediately, the Academy said.

"We do so not simply to separate ourselves from someone who does not merit the respect of his colleagues but also to send a message that the era of willful ignorance and shameful complicity in sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment in our industry is over," said the organization, which is home to the Oscars.

"What's at issue here is a deeply troubling problem that has no place in our society," the statement continued. "The Board continues to work to establish ethical standards of conduct that all Academy members will be expected to exemplify."

More than 30 women have come forward accusing Weinstein of sexual harassment, rape abuse and inappropriate physical contact. Among those speaking out against him are actresses Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rose McGowan.

His younger brother, Bob Weinstein, who co-founded the Weinstein Company, pushed for his sibling to get the justice he deserved.

Bob Weinstein went on to say he felt like he was in a "waking nightmare" and called his brother a bully.

Only one person is thought to have been previously expelled from the academy: Carmine Caridi, a character actor who had his membership revoked in 2004 for lending DVD screeners of films in contention for Oscars that ended up online.

The Associate Press contributed to this report.