Sheriff’s detectives look into alleged sexual assault on teen
Actress/director accused of having sex with former co-star
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Monday detectives are reaching out to a young actor and his attorney after The New York Times reported actress and director Asia Argento recently paid him in connection with an alleged sexual encounter when he was 17.
Sheriff’s Capt. Darren Harris said the department had not received a report on the alleged incident, but was trying to interview the parties involved.
The New York Times said Argento, 42, settled a notice of intent to sue from Jimmy Bennett, who in 2004 played her son in a film, for $380,000 in the months after she publicly accused Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexually assaulting her. In California, the age of consent is 18. Bennett is now 22.
A source confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that there was a negotiated settlement with Bennett after he leveled the claims against her last year.
Two lawyers who represent Argento have not returned phone calls or emails seeking comment.
According to The New York Times, the alleged sexual assault on May 9, 2013, and the payment agreement that followed are laid out in documents between lawyers for Argento and Bennett that the newspaper received through encrypted email from an unknown source.
On the day of the alleged assault, Argento and Bennett met at the RitzCarlton Hotel in Marina del Rey. The pair have referred to each other as mother and son on social media. Argento posted a photo that day showing her hugging Bennett, referring to him as “My son my love,” and included the month and year.
According to The New York Times, Bennett arrived at the hotel with a family member. Argento asked the family member to leave. When they were alone, she allegedly kissed the 17-yearold, removed his pants and performed oral sex, and then had sex with him, the newspaper reported.
Argento became a prominent voice in the #MeToo movement after telling the New Yorker that Weinstein raped her in 1997 when she was 21.