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In New Accusations, Netflix Producer Says Harvey Weinstein Raped, Threatened Her

In New Accusations, Netflix Producer Says Harvey Weinstein Raped, Threatened Her
Harvey Weinstein, seen here in April 2017, has been accused by more than 80 women of a range of sexual misconduct.
Gilbert Carrasquillo via Getty Images
Harvey Weinstein, seen here in April 2017, has been accused by more than 80 women of a range of sexual misconduct.

A producer on the canceled Netflix show “Marco Polo” has accused disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein of repeated sexual assault and abuse over a period of years, according to documents filed with the New York Supreme Court on Monday.

Alexandra Canosa describes at least 11 alleged incidents in the filing, including rape, other unspecified sexual assault, physical assault, verbal threats, forced sex acts and other abuses between 2010 and 2017. Locations included rooms and suites in various hotels, she says, such as Manhattan’s Tribeca Grand Hotel, Beverly Hills’ Peninsula Hotel and Budapest’s Four Seasons Hotel.

Weinstein “made it clear that if she did not succumb to his demands for sexual contact or if she exposed his unwanted conduct there would be retaliation, including humiliation, the loss of her job and loss of any ability to work in the entertainment business,” the filing alleges.

Canosa was formerly employed by The Weinstein Company, led by Weinstein until he stepped down in October.

Dozens of women, working in front of the camera and behind the scenes alike, have leveled accusations against Weinstein, who has become a pariah in Hollywood. Canosa initially filed her suit in December, but has detailed her claims publicly for the first time this week.

The court filing alleges at least one instance of rape. Canosa says Weinstein raped her in Malaysia, where parts of “Marco Polo” were filmed, in May 2014. The series debuted in December of that year.

In August 2017, weeks before The New York Times and The New Yorker would publish a series of damning accusations against the former studio head, Weinstein “verbally threatened” Canosa “not to speak to anyone about his abuse,” the filing alleges.

Echoing the accounts of dozens of other accusers, Canosa says Weinstein ensured that she met with him alone under the pretense of doing work. He allegedly made inappropriate demands, “forcing himself on [her] despite repeated requests to stop,” the filing says.

In a statement provided to Variety, Phyllis Kupferstein, an attorney for Weinstein, said the relationship between Weinstein and Canosa was consensual.

“Ali Canosa was a friend who had worked for The Weinstein Company for 10 years, traveled the world for the company and held several influential roles; overseeing many projects throughout the years,” Kupferstein said in the statement. “From someone who has been thought of as a good friend, involved only in a consensual relationship, these claims are not only mystifying to Mr. Weinstein, but deeply upsetting, and they are not supported by the facts.”

Canosa claims that other defendants named in her suit ― including Harvey Weinstein’s brother, Robert, and several Weinstein Company board members ― were aware of Weinstein’s behavior and did nothing to stop him.

By USA Today’s count, more than 80 women have come forward to accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct, a blanket term for a range of abuses. He has denied engaging in nonconsensual sex, and is reportedly in and out of treatment for sex addiction and anger management at a facility in Arizona.

The Weinstein Company, now bankrupt, is facing a sale.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.