#MeToo Figurehead Asia Argento Accused Of Rape

#MeToo campaigner Asia Argento, who accused disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexually assaulting her, has now herself been accused of raping a minor.

The Italian actress settled the claim out of court earlier this year, paying her alleged victim $380k, according to a court documents obtained by the New York Times.

Former child actor and musician Jimmy Bennett, who once starred in a film with Asia Argento when he was seven-years-old, claims that he was raped by the Italian actress back in 2013. He was 17-year-old at the time of the alleged sexual assault but was legally still a minor as the age of consent in California is 18.

Legal documents claim that Asia Argento sent away the teenager's chaperone when he paid a visit to her at her hotel room. It's claimed that she then plied him with alcohol and gave him lover letters; afterwards she kissed him and pushed him onto the bed and performed oral sex on him, before having sexual intercourse.

Jimmy Bennett's lawyer claimed this was "sexual battery" and had originally demanded $3.5 million from Asia Argento, who dated celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain until his suicide in June.

Bennett's lawyer was seeking such a huge figure because they claimed that their client was so traumatized by it all that it had a negative impact on his acting career and earnings. But they then settled for $380k, as is being reported in the New York Times.

Bennett's lawyer stated in files obtained by the New York Times that his client decided to take the case because “feelings about that day were brought to the forefront recently when Ms. Argento took the spotlight as one of the many victims of Harvey Weinstein."

Asia Argento's lawyer Carrie Goldberg sent her a letter back in April setting out the final details of the settlement. In it, Goldberg wrote: "We hope nothing like this ever happens to you again. You are a powerful and inspiring creator and it is a miserable condition of life that you live among shitty individuals who've preyed on both your strengths and your weaknesses."

Asia Argento has yet the comments on the allegations, while Jimmy Bennett has told USA media outlets that he doesn't wish to speak publicly about the incident. “In the coming days Jimmy will continue doing what he has been doing over the past months and years, focusing on his music," Bennett's attorney stated.