The #MeToo movement involved many women boldly describing their traumatic sexual harassment experiences on media. One of the biggest names that came up in Hollywood industry was disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein, accused of sexually exploiting many actresses.
Asia Argento was a leading voice in that #MeToo movement and one of the first actresses who accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual abuse. Ironically, the actress is now being accused of the same charges.
It was reported that the Italian actress paid off a young musician named Jimmy Bennet, to remain silent after she sexually assaulted him when he was just 17-years-old. Bennett and Asia had worked together in a movie called "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things" in which she plays the role of his prostitute mother.
Bennet reportedly claimed that Asia performed oral sex on him right before she initiated intercourse with him.
Although Asia denied all the accusations that were made against her, it now seems to be true. Argento's recent texts to one of her friend mentions that she did have sex with the 17-year- old.
"As in what does the public know and not know? Like which things are facts or not facts? It's an annoying question but I need to have a clear vision of what angles we have to send some folks to get good intel for us," Mirror UK quoted the friend as saying in the texts.
"The public knows nothing, only what NYT wrote. Which is one-sided. The shakedown letter. The horny kid jumped me," Asia replies.
"So it was rape? Or an attempted sexual action?" the friend asked.
"I had sex with him it felt weird. I didn't know he as a minor until the shakedown letter," Asia replied.
Jimmy Bennet, who is now 22-years-old, said that the incident left him feeling extremely confused, mortified and disgusted. He added that his life was a downward spiral after the incident.
Bennet had also asked her for a settlement of $3.5 million for the emotional damage caused to him. Asia's boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, had reportedly paid off the money to Bennet.
