Officials on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean are investigating complaints against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein amid reports that he sexually harassed women for decades, according to multiple reports.
Police in London told The Guardian on Thursday that a complaint was made against Weinstein on Wednesday and that officers were investigating the report.
The alleged assault took place in the London area in the 1980s, according to BBC News.
In a statement released to Variety magazine, New York police said that officers are working to learn of any additional complaints against Weinstein.
“No filed complaints have been identified as of this time,” police said on Thursday morning.
The reports come amid a slew of sexual assault and harassment allegations against Weinstein, who co-founded entertainment company Miramax. Among Weinstein’s accusers are high-profile Hollywood stars, including Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd.
Women started to come forward after The New York Times published a report last week detailing complaints of sexual harassment made against Weinstein over nearly three decades.
Three women, former aspiring actress Lucia Evans, Italian actress Asia Argento and a woman who was not identified, accused Weinstein of rape in a report published Tuesday by The New Yorker.
Weinstein was ousted from his position at The Weinstein Company on Sunday in the wake of the New York Times report. His wife, Marchesa designer Georgina Chapman, said Tuesday that she was leaving Weinstein in light of the allegations. Weinstein said in a statement on Wednesday that he was going to counseling.
He denied the rape allegations in a statement to The New Yorker issued by one of his representatives.
New York police opened an investigation into Weinstein in 2015, after Filipina-Italian model Ambra Battilana Gutierrez told officers that she was groped by Weinstein without consent.
Authorities outfitted Gutierrez with a wire and had her meet with the producer. In an audio recording of the meeting published by The New Yorker on Tuesday, Weinstein can be heard apologizing after he’s confronted about the alleged assault.
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"Why yesterday (did) you touch my breast?" Gutierrez asks in the recording.
"Oh please, I'm sorry,” he answers. “I'm used to that.”
Despite the recording, no charges were filed against Weinstein.
Prosecutors said that they were never consulted about the New York Police Department’s plan to get Weinstein to admit to the assault on tape and that the tape was not enough evidence to convict the 65-year-old. Police defended their actions, saying that the recording was one of multiple bits of evidence collected by officers and presented to the Manhattan District Attorney for prosecution.
Credit: Al Powers
Credit: Al Powers
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