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A $50 Million Twist in the Kevin Spacey Scandal

The production company behind Netflix’s “House of Cards” is claiming that Spacey’s alleged sex addiction should have triggered its insurance policy. But Lloyd’s of London suggests the studio knew all about his “condition”—and lied about it from the start.

Kevin Spacey’s time at The Meadows is now a key detail in a legal dispute that, until now, has been unfolding in virtual obscurity.
Kevin Spacey’s time at The Meadows is now a key detail in a legal dispute that, until now, has been unfolding in virtual obscurity. Photo: Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images
Eriq Gardner
October 16, 2023

Is “sex addiction” a debilitating sickness, a preexisting condition, or an excuse for sleazy men? That’s the $50 million question at the heart of a novel lawsuit concerning Kevin Spacey’s behavior while filming House of Cards. Spacey, of course, was infamously fired from the hit Netflix series in 2017 after multiple men accused him of sexual misconduct. During the ordeal, he sought treatment at Gentle Path at The Meadows, a lavish $28,000 per month rehab center run by Dr. Patrick Carnes, who literally wrote the book on breaking sex addiction. For 45 days, the actor immersed himself in meditation, art therapy, and horseback riding, ostensibly with the goal of confronting his demons.