Italian actress Asia Argento, denies sexually assaulting actor Jimmy Bennet in any way whatsoever.
Jimmy Bennett who was Asia’s former co-star claimed that she paid him $380,000 due to him being sexually assaulted by her when he was just 17. Jimmy had played the role of her son in a film in which they acted together.
New York Times reported that Bennet was severely shaken after the incident. He was gravely suffering mentally which affected his career. NYT also claims to have seen the documents exchanged between lawyers for Bennett and Asia.
It is alleged that the incident took place in 2013 in a California hotel room when he had just turned 17 and she was 37. Asia has denied all such claims. She says, “I have never had any sexual relationship with Bennett.” The irony of the situation is that Asia passionately condemned the actions of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein who was outcasted as a sexual predator.
Bennet decided to sue Ms Argento after seeing her present herself as a victim of sexual assault. The actress says she is being maligned even though she is innocent and truthful. She further added that her friendship ended with Bennet after her involvement in the Weinstein revelations but Bennett “unexpectedly made an exorbitant request of money from me”. Ben Brafman, a lawyer for Mr Weinstein labelled it as “a stunning level of hypocrisy by Asia Argento”.
“What is perhaps most egregious is the timing, which suggests that at the very same time Argento was working on her own secret settlement for the alleged sexual abuse of a minor, she was positioning herself at the forefront of those condemning Mr Weinstein, despite the fact that her sexual relationship with Mr Weinstein was between two consenting adults which lasted for more than four years,” the lawyer said.
