Detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are now looking into a report from The New York Times that documents a $380,000 payment from actress Asia Argento to an actor who accused her of sexually abusing him while he was a minor.
Argento, who became a #MeToo leader after accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, allegedly paid the money to Jimmy Bennett who was 17 at the time. Argento was 37.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday that “Sheriff’s Capt. Darren Harris said the department had not received a report on the alleged incident but was pursuing the matter by trying to interview the parties involved.”
A family member had taken Bennett to see Argento since he reportedly has a vision problem that prevents him from being able to drive. Once at the hotel, Argento asked the family member to leave so she could be alone with Bennett.
The alleged incident happened in a hotel room on May 9, 2013, when Argento allegedly “kissed him, pushed him back on the bed, removed his pants and performed oral sex,” and later “had intercourse.”
Argento’s career is now in serious jeopardy as Sky Italia and FremantleMedia Italia have responded to the accusations by stating that if they are “confirmed,” they will have “no choice but to take note of it and put an end to the collaboration with Asia Argento.”