Harvey Weinstein to be arrested in New York: reports
May 24, 2018
Harvey Weinstein, the former Hollywood media mogul, is expected to give himself up to New York police on Friday after a months-long investigation into sexual assault accusations against him, US media has reported.
Multiple sources familiar with the investigation told the New York Times that police would charge Weinstein in connection with accusations by Lucia Evans, an aspiring actress who said Weinstein forced her to perform oral sex on him in 2004.
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The New York Daily News and NBC News also reported police were expecting to arrest Weinstein on Friday.
Whether Weinstein would face charges related to separate sexual assault allegations by other female celebrities and employees at his company against him was unclear.
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Fall from grace
The 66-year-old was one of Hollywood's most powerful figures before reports emerged in October in which multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct, in some cases including rape, and trying to coerce them. He has since been fired from his company, Weinstein Co., and expelled from the Academy of Motion Pictures.
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The accusations, which more than 70 women have made against him, also helped generate greater awareness about sexual assault and sparked the international anti-assault movements "#MeToo" and "#TimesUp."
US and British authorities have been investigating Weinstein for months, but have not yet filed charges against him. Weinstein has repeatedly denied having non-consensual sex with any of his accusers.
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amp/bw (AFP, Reuters)