Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was charged with rape and a sex crime in New York on Friday, posting a $1 million cash bail nearly eight months after his career imploded under bombshell accusations that triggered the MeToo movement. The former mogul - once the toast of Hollywood and whose films won scores of Oscars - grinned as he was escorted into a Manhattan court in handcuffs to face the first criminal charges posted against him.
Standing alongside his defence attorney, Weinstein looked glum during a brief arraignment, agreeing to post bail at $1 million cash, surrender his passport and be fitted with a GPS monitoring device. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office said he was charged with rape in the first and third degrees, stemming from an attack on a woman in 2013, and a criminal sex act against another woman in 2004. Neither victim was named.
"Today's charges reflect significant progress in this active, ongoing investigation," said District Attorney Cyrus Vance, thanking "brave survivors" for coming forward and urging others to call a sex crimes hotline. They are the first criminal charges against the twice-married, shamed former titan, who already faces a slew of civil lawsuits, is reportedly under federal investigation and whose former studio has filed for bankruptcy. Defense attorney Ben Brafman told reporters that Weinstein would plead not guilty and that his client denied any non-consensual sexual activity.
"We intend to move very quickly to dismiss these charges," Brafman said. "Bad behavior is not on trial," he added. "Mr Weinstein did not invent the casting couch in Hollywood." The 66-year-old former studio boss surrendered to police shortly before 7:30 am (1130 GMT) wearing a white shirt, pale blue sweater and dark blazer, dozens of television cameras and photographers mobbing the street outside.