#MeToo Pioneer Asia Argento Once Paid Off Young Actor Who Claimed Sex Harrassment

NEW YORK, NY. (THECOUNT) — Italian actress Asia Argento — one of the most prominent activists of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment — recently settled a complaint filed against her by a young actor and musician who said she sexually assaulted him when he was 17, the New York Times reported.

Argento, 42, settled the notice of intent to sue filed by Jimmy Bennett, who is now 22, for $380,000 shortly after she said last October that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein raped her, the Times reported.

Argento and Bennett co-starred in a 2004 film called “The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things” in which Argento played Bennett’s prostitute mother.

Bennett says in the notice that he had sex with Argento in a California hotel in 2013. The age of consent in California is 18. source

The notice says the encounter traumatized Bennett and hurt his career, the Times reported.

The newspaper said it received court documents that included a selfie of Argento and Bennett in bed. Three people familiar with the case said the documents were authentic, the Times reported.

Rose McGowan, American poster child for #metoo, said Monday she was heartbroken after a bombshell report revealed Asia Argento agreed to pay $380,000 to an actor who accused her of sexually assaulting him when he was 17 years old.

“I got to know Asia Argento ten months ago,” McGowan wrote in a tweet. “Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere.”