Lawsuit makes new rape allegation against Harvey Weinstein

Harvey Weinstein was facing a new rape allegation on Friday as part of a lawsuit alleging he had help covering up his misconduct with women.

The lawsuit was filed in New York by three women, including one who says Weinstein assaulted her at a Manhattan hotel in 2011.

Melissa Thompson says that when she was meeting with Weinstein to pitch internet technology, he cornered her and “out-muscled” her as she tried to fight him off. She alleges he then held her down and raped her.

She did not report it to law enforcement authorities because she feared for her

safety and career, the lawsuit said.

Besides Thompson, two other women made new claims in the lawsuit, which seeks class-action status to represent hundreds of other women it says were victimized by the Hollywood mogul and what it described as his enablers.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, as well as retribution for class members’ loss of work opportunities and “devastating damage” to their careers. It alleges racketeering, witness tampering, mail and wire fraud, assault, civil battery, negligent supervision and retention, and infliction of emotional distress.

A lawyer for Weinstein did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Weinstein has denied sexually assaulting anyone.