The Weinstein Company slapped with lawsuit: Alleged ‘aiding and abetting’ years of sexual misconduct

An actress/model sued The Weinstein Co. Tuesday, alleging the production company enabled years of sexual misconduct by co- founder Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused by dozens of women of sexual harassment and assault.

Actress Dominique Huett, who once appeared in an episode of “Blue Bloods,” contends in her Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that Weinstein lured her to a Beverly Hills hotel room in 2010 on the pretense of discussing her aspiring career.

Once in the hotel room, Weinstein performed oral sex on her then masturbated in front of her, according to the lawsuit.

Her lawsuit contends that The Weinstein Company — the production house co-founded by Weinstein and his brother, Bob — “was aware of allegations of sexual misconduct against Weinstein going back to the 1990s” and “often aided and abetted Weinstein in the commission of his sexual misconduct.”

“For example, female Weinstein Company employees were often used as `honeypots’ to lure his victims into a false sense of security,” the lawsuit contends. “The `honeypots’ would initially join a meeting along with a woman Weinstein was interested in, but then Weinstein would dismiss them, leaving him alone with the women.”

A representative for The Weinstein Company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The company previously released a statement denying any knowledge of the producer’s actions.

“It is essential to our company’s culture that all women who work for it or have any dealings with it or any of our executives are treated with respect and have no experience of harassment or discrimination,” according to the company.

Weinstein himself is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit, but a spokeswoman for the producer stated, “Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein.”

According to her lawsuit, Huett contends she and Weinstein, now 65, arranged a meeting at The Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel in November 2010 to discuss his offer to assist her obtaining film or TV work. As they talked in the hotel bar, Huett “noticed Weinstein staring at her breasts.”

He asked her if she ever had a breast enhancement procedure and asked her to take off her top, the suit states.

Weinstein told Huett, who was uncomfortable with the questions, that it would be beneficial for her in getting future roles if she did not have her breasts enhanced, the suit states.

Weinstein was living at the hotel at the time and convinced Huett to come up to his room, the suit states. The actress thought they were merely continuing their meeting about her career, the suit states.

Huett at first rejected his request for a massage, but then complied, the suit states. He then persistently asked to perform oral sex on her, and although she repeatedly refused, he “would not take no for an answer.”

“Weinstein initiated and plaintiff froze as Weinstein removed her clothing and performed oral sex on her,” according to the lawsuit. “Weinstein performed oral sex on plaintiff for several minutes. After performing oral sex on plaintiff, Weinstein masturbated in front of plaintiff until he reached orgasm.”

Weinstein then gave Hewitt information on how to contact the executive producer for the “Project Runway” television series, the suit states.

–City News Service

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