Harvey Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to several serious charges and a jury is now deliberating on a verdict. Photo / AP
Harvey Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to several serious charges and a jury is now deliberating on a verdict. Photo / AP
Warning: Distressing content.
Audio of Harvey Weinstein pressuring a young model to give him a massage and claiming she would lose "big opportunities" if she refused has been played on Australian television.
In an explosive segment, 60 Minutes heard from a woman who has accused the disgraced Hollywood mogul of sexual harassment and then orchestrating a smear campaign to discredit her when she went to police.
The Channel 9 programme played secretly recorded audio of Ambra Battilana's interaction with Weinstein in 2015.
"I will mentor you and teach you, whatever, but you have to relax with me, have fun, enjoy, you know," he can be heard telling the then-22-year-old. "A massage. Something fabulous."
Model Ambra Battilana is one of Harvey Weinstein's accusers. Photo / Channel 9
Weinstein was the biggest name in show business until a slew of accusations of sexual harassment, assault and rape were levelled against him, sparking the #MeToo movement.
He has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and sexual assault, and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
A jury is now deliberating on a verdict in his historic trial, which has seen a host of revelations come to light. One of them was Battilana's audio recording.
It was made shortly after the model moved to New York to further her career and was asked to attend a casting with Weinstein.
Harvey Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to several serious charges and a jury is now deliberating on a verdict. Photo / AP
"He kept saying, 'Oh, so nice to see again. So nice to see you again'," she told 60 Minutes.
"And then he stared at me and ask me, 'Is your breast real?' and I'm like, 'What?'"
Battilana alleges that Weinstein then groped her breast before putting his hand on her leg and trying to kiss her.
She fled and went to police, who convinced her to wear a wire and attend a second meeting with him. She agreed and met Weinstein at a hotel bar the following day.
Harvey Weinstein arrives at a Manhattan court as jury deliberations continue. Photo / AP
In the audio that was captured, he asks her to "relax with me" and give him a massage, to which she responds that she's shy.
"I know, but a massage, something nice," Weinstein replies. The exchange continues.
Battilana: "Can I stay on the bar?"
Weinstein: "No. You must come here now."
Later in the audio, Weinstein tells her: "Don't be foolish. A little bit."
After she protests and pleads with him, Weinstein seems to indicate that her future career in entertainment could be at stake.
"If you don't trust me, then we have no reason to do anything and you will lose big opportunities," he says.
The investigation fell apart after a co-ordinated smear campaign that attempted to paint the young model as a sex worker, Battilana claims.
Later, she reached a settlement with Weinstein for $1 million and signed a nondisclosure agreement, which she has now breached for a second time in pursuit of justice.
In 2017, part of the audio recording emerged and was published by The New Yorker. Now, more of the exchange has come to light – Weinstein asking for a massage.
Harvey Weinstein's attorney Donna Rotunno arriving at court on February 21. Photo / AP
Part of the settlement included destroying the audio – but Battilana kept a copy, which has recently been released.
THE INFORMANT: Ambra Battilana has broken her silence on her experience with Harvey Weinstein, violating the million dollar gag-order that was stifling her story. She has leaked a damning audio recording of Weinstein pressuring and threatening her in a New York hotel room. #60Mins
Weinstein replies: "Oh, please. I'm sorry. Just come on in. I'm used to that."
Again, when Battilana protests and explains that she feels uncomfortable, Weinstein appears to threaten her career, saying: "I will never do another thing to you. Five minutes. Don't ruin your friendship with me for five minutes."
More than 90 women have accused Weinstein of sexual harassment, assault or rape in a firestorm that effectively ended his career.
