The New York Times has reported that Asia Argento, a leading voice of the #MeToo movement, recently settled a sexual assault accusation against her for $380,000.
Argento, who is an actress and director, was one of the first prominent women to accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault at the outset of the #MeToo movement that rocked Hollywood and beyond.
On Monday afternoon, the New York Times reported that Jimmy Bennett, a child actor who had once portrayed Argento’s son on screen, had accused the actress — who is 20 years his senior — of sexual assault.
Bennett alleged that he had sex with Argento in a hotel room when he was 17 years old, below the age of consent for California, where the interaction allegedly took place. Bennett had known Argento since he was seven years old, and claimed that he believed their relationship to be akin to that between a mother and son, according to his lawyer Gordon Sattro.
According to the original report, the “claim and the subsequent arrangement for payments are laid out in documents between lawyers for Ms. Argento and Mr. Bennett.”
The original notice of intent to sue demanded “$3.5 million in damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, lost wages, assault and battery.”
The report notes that Bennett had contacted Argento in the months following the assault, writing a Twitter message that said: “Miss you momma!!!!” and also included a photograph of an engraved bracelet she had given him to commemorate the movie they starred in together, The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things.
Bennett and Argento appeared to have a very public relationship, frequently interacting with each other and sharing photos of themselves together on social media.
Argento has not provided any public comment on the matter, nor has Bennett.
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