Harvey Weinstein Sues Brother, Says He Was Duped Into Guaranteeing $45M Loan

Family drama with Harvey Weinstein ... he's suing his own brother from jail, claiming his sibling tricked him into guaranteeing a $45 million loan and then left him holding the bag.

Harvey filed a lawsuit Thursday against his brother, Bob Weinstein, and Hollywood executive David Glasser ... a former executive at Weinstein's now-defunct film company, The Weinstein Company.

In the suit, Harvey alleges Bob and David concocted a calculated financial conspiracy to leave him personally liable for a $45 million loan as a way to push him out of the company and set the stage for his downfall.

Weinstein claims his brother and Glasser misappropriated the money for their own personal use ... alleging Bob withdrew at least $6 million and David gave himself $5 million in bonuses and paid his father $1 million.

In exclusive audio, Weinstein tells TMZ from his cell on Rikers Island ... "It was shocking to discover the fraudulent transactions that went on after I left the company. I now believe that a number of these executives played a big part in my demise."

Weinstein claims his brother and Glasser tricked him into personally guaranteeing a $45 million loan from AI International Holdings. He says Bob and David then diverted money and left the company short on cash, with Harvey holding the bag and on the hook for the huge sum.

Harvey says Bob and David conspired to ruin him financially as a means to take control of The Weinstein Company.

The lender claims The Weinstein Company defaulted on the loan and sued ... and this new Weinstein filing is part of that same case.

Bob's lawyer, Brian Kohn, tells TMZ ... "Harvey's allegations are entirely without merit."