Harvey Weinstein scandal: Judge refuses to drop sex trafficking lawsuit against disgraced mogul
It seems like Harvey Weinstein's woes aren't entirely over yet. Not that we're complaining, considering he seems to have had this coming for quite a while now. But in recent updates, a Manhattan federal judge has just approved a lawsuit filed against the disgraced movie mogul, that accuses him of sex trafficking.
The case - which was given a thumbs up on Tuesday - was filed by an aspiring Briitish actress, Kadian Noble, who claimed that the "Shakespeare in Love" producer had violated federal laws against sex trafficking by inviting her to his hotel room in Cannes, France. Of course, just like countless other A-listers have accused Weinstein already, the reason behind this proposal was a false promise of an acting role with the ulterior motive of sex.
As per court obtained by Page Six, Weinstein tried to squash the lawsuit, with claims that letting this proceed “would unfairly expand the federal sex-trafficking statute to all sexual activity occurring between adults in which one party holds a superior position of power and influence."
He also went on to add that Noble's claims of him engaging in a "commercial sex act" doesn't qualify in this case since nothing of value was ever exchanged between the two. But as per Noble's account, when she had sued him last year, she said that he had set her up for the unwanted sexual encounter back when they had met in London, under the farce of "a role in mind for her and that ‘it will be good for you (Noble).'"
The two had met again in February 2014, at Cannes, and that's when the movie producer had asked her to come to the Le Majestic Hotel so they could discuss further the supposed movie, as per the lawsuit. But none of that discussion happened, as the encounter involved him massaging her and also instructing her to “walk up and down the room for him” as part of an “audition” before he assaulted her in the bedroom, she said. “Everything will be taken care of for you if you relax,” Nobel revealed he said when she resisted his advances.
As per Judge Robert Sweet’s ruling of the case, it was noted therein that other courts have also filed civil claims of sex trafficking to “defendants who have lured women, under false pretenses, with lucrative promises for sexual purposes.”
Sweet said, “Here the pattern of behavior … alleged a knowing and understanding that Harvey would use fraudulent means to entice Noble to engage in a sex act with him. The promise of a film role, the interview … for the film role, and the assurances that ‘everything will be taken care of for you if you relax,’ including as he forced her to masturbate him, support this."
However, Weinstein’s brother, Robert Weinstein, was dropped as a defendant in the case, saying that the lawsuit doesn't really claim that he was aware of his brother's indiscretions.