Asia Argento accuses Weinstein of rape (5)

(ANSA) - New York, October 10 - Italian actress and director Asia Argento has accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, fallen from grace amid a swirl of sexual molestation reports, of raping her at a Miramax party in France in 1997, when she was 21, the New Yorker reported Tuesday, detailing other accusations from more women against the once-powerful film mogul.
    Contacted over the phone by ANSA, Argento said: "It's all true, everything the New Yorker wrote. Now leave me in peace".
    Argento was among three women who told the New Yorker Weinstein raped them.
    Lucia Evans, a former aspiring actor, and one unnamed women also accused Weinstein of forcing them to engage in sex or sex acts, in the piece authored by Ronan Farrow. The son of actress Mia Farrow, Ronan Farrow previously helped reignite his sister Dylan's accusations that their father, Woody Allen, groomed and sexually assaulted her as a child, an allegation Allen denies. Four other women told the magazine that Weinstein touched them without their consent in a way "that could be classified as an assault".
    Others including actors Mira Sorvino and Rosanna Arquette alleged sexual harassment on the part of the Hollywood mogul. Farrow also revealed audio from 2015 New York Police Department sting operation in which Weinstein allegedly admits to groping Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, a model who reported his behavior, and said he was "used to" behaving that way.
    Weinstein, 65, was sacked by Miramax earlier this week after the New York Times reported a history of alleged sexual harassment over the decades. Nearly a dozen women told the NYT he had molested them.
    On Tuesday Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow told the NYT Weinstein molested them when they were young actresses.
    George Clooney on Tuesday called his alleged behaviour "indefensible".