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Former teen model accuses Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, files fresh lawsuit
Former teen model has filed fresh lawsuit accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault. Read on to know more.
Another sexual assault lawsuit has been filed against Harvey Weinstein. Former teen model Kaja Sokola has filed a new lawsuit against Weinstein alleging that the disgraced film producer assaulted her when she was 16. In a suit filed in New York State Supreme Court on December 19, the native of Poland claims that back in 2002, when she was a 16-year-old and aspiring actress, Weinstein set up a lunch meeting with her but instead took her to his SoHo apartment "without her consent" and assaulted her.
According to the documents, the media mogul aggressively and threateningly demanded sex, and instructed her to take her clothes off and “to touch herself,” The Los Angeles Times reported. The lawsuit is also filed against Weinstein's former studio Miramax, brother Bob Weinstein, and its previous owner Walt Disney Co. The suit clearly describes how Weinstein forced the teen to touch his penis and grabbed at her breasts despite her saying no. While the producer has been slapped with various lawsuits, this is the first one that alleges he assaulted a minor.
Sokola, who is now 33, also claimed that Weinstein stopped her from leaving the apartment and made it clear that refusing his sexual demands would mean giving up the opportunity to make it in Hollywood. The suit claims that as a result of the alleged abuse, Sokola suffered from long-term depression, anorexia and “faced difficulty in maintaining healthy relationships with men.” The woman was originally part of the class-action lawsuit against the producer and would have been part of the USD 25 million settlement that was reached on December 11 but she refused to agree to the terms.
The latest lawsuit was filed a day after Weinstein's lawyers asked a judge to pause a USD 45 million lawsuits against him because the weight has become too much to bear for the Hollywood producer alongside his other legal troubles and medical condition. His attorneys requested to stay a case brought by AI International Holdings in the wake of his ongoing sexual-misconduct scandal until after his trial on January 6. The civil suit was brought by the company for a loan which it gave to Harvey last year but hasn't received back the payment.
As of now, over 70 women have accused the producer of sexual misconduct. While he has denied non-consensual sex allegations, he is scheduled to face a trial on rape and sexual assault charges in state court on January 6, 2020.
