Asia Argento Will Not Pay Sexual Assault Accuser Jimmy Bennett Remainder of $380K, Lawyer Says

Asia Argento will not pay the remainder of a $380,000 payment to sexual assault accuser Jimmy Bennett, her new attorney Mark Jay Heller said in a lengthy statement on Tuesday. Bennett has already received $250,000.

The lawyer also said that his client denies having a sexual relationship with the actor, “Her relationship with Bennett was never sexual, but rather the relationship was a long distance friendship over many years.”

“Asia recognizes that this may very well inspire Bennett to make further false allegations against her and attempt to besmirch her reputation and diminish her credibility in her accusations against Harvey Weinstein,” he continued in his letter, titled “Asia Argento launches Phase Two of the #MeToo Movement.”

Also Read: Asia Argento Fired From 'X Factor Italy' Following Sexual Assault Accusation

“However, Asia’s courage to originally make the accusations against Harvey Weinstein has not waned and she believes that whether or not the public finally realizes that she did nothing wrong and was herself a victim, that Phase Two of the #metoo movement dictates that the voice of a victim, even one with a history that may be in question, should be heard and she is hopeful that in the Court of Public Opinion it will ultimately be determined that Asia never initiated an inappropriate sexual contact with a minor, but rather she was attacked by Bennett and might even be suffering the fallback of a smear campaign by those already accused who may have a vested interest in their accusers being denied credibility.”

Representatives for Bennett did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.

Last month, the New York Times reported that it obtained legal documents sent through encrypted emails showing Argento agreed to pay Bennett nearly $400,000 after he accused her of sexually assaulting him at a Marina del Rey, California, hotel room in 2013. Bennett, who played Argento’s her son in the 2004 movie “The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things,” said that he had just turned 17 at the time of their encounter (Argento was 37 ). The age of consent in California is 18.

Also Read: Rose McGowan Urges Asia Argento to Come Clean: 'Be the Person You Wish Harvey Could Have Been'

Argento became a prominent figure in the #MeToo movement after coming forward last year with her own sexual assault accusations against Harvey Weinstein during the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. Argento denied Bennett’s accusations but told The Guardian that she, Bennett and her boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, mutually agreed to handle the matter privately, with Bourdain paying Bennett $380,000 for his silence.

“Bennett knew my boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, was a man of great perceived wealth, and had his own reputation as a beloved public figure to protect,” Argento said.

“Anthony insisted the matter be handled privately and this was also what Bennett wanted. Anthony was afraid of the possible negative publicity that such a person, whom he considered dangerous, could have brought upon us.”

Also Read: Rain Dove Says They 'Feel Really Bad' for Asia Argento After Turning Over Texts to LAPD (Exclusive)

Bourdain died by suicide in June.

Despite the “crazy tangled web of sexual interactions,” Heller said Asia “does not intend to prosecute Bennett for his conduct and recognizes that his unfortunate past, his stalled acting career, and a lawsuit against his own parents for allegedly misappropriating more than a million and a half dollars from his account might explain his desperation to seek money from Asia and Bourdain for this falsely alleged incident that took place more than five years ago.”

Golden Globes Red Carpet: Wisest Words on #MeToo Movement From Meryl Streep to Emma Watson (Photos)

Debra Messing

"I am wearing black to thank and honor all the brave whistleblowers who came forward and shared their stories of harassment and discrimination," Messing said on Sunday's Golden Globes red carpet. She added that she's "shocked to to hear E! doesn’t believe in paying their female hosts the same as their male hosts," referring to Catt Sadler's exit from the network after learning she wasn't paid as much as her male counterpart, Jason Kennedy. "Women are just as important as men," she said.

Getty Images
Laura Dern

The "Big Little Lies" actress said on Instagram that she is "holding our mothers and grandmothers and all brave women who taught us about Voice" by wearing black on the red carpet. On the carpet, she added, "It’s time for us to make a difference, and everyone can make a difference." Dern brought along activist Monica Ramirez, who said, "When we learned about what was happening in Hollywood, our members felt very strongly they wanted to send a message… that they are not alone... Part of our work is to fight for gender parity along all lines."
Getty Images
Emma Watson

The "Beauty and the Beast" star said on Twitter that she's wearing black on the red carpet "because we are grateful to the many survivors and allies who have spoken out and and forced the conversation about sexual harassment, sexual assault, and gender bias in the spotlight."

Larasi, a women's activist, accompanied Emma Watson on the red carpet. "There’s something about women in Hollywood speaking out," she said of the Me Too movement. "There is a wall of silence that surrounds women and girls [who are harassed or assaulted]. We don’t want to create hierarchies.. But we’re saying women in Hollywood have [an opportunity] to amplify [the message]. It's a fantastic platform."
Getty Images
Jessica Chastain

The "Molly's Game" star said, "I wear black to stand in solidarity with my sister's and to say it's #TimesUp on this imbalance of power IN ALL INDUSTRIES " on Twitter ahead of the show.
Getty Images
Meryl Streep

"The Post" star said, "People are aware now of a power imbalance... It's everywhere and we want to fix that."

As for her character in the film, Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, Streep said she thought she would be "heartened" by the movement sweeping Hollywood and beyond for women's rights. "She was a pioneer," Streep said. "I think she’d be over the moon."
Getty Images
Yvonne Strahovski

"With the women's march and now this, it really feels like a revolution is taking place. Although it's not going to solve all the problems, I'm proud to be here and to be part of it today," said the "Handmaid's Tale" star.
Twitter
Kerry Washington

"This is such an awesome night to celebrate women and celebrate all of us coming together and standing with each other and standing in solidarity to say 'Time is Up,'" the "Scandal" star said. "This is not a problem in Hollywood, the abuse of power happens everywhere."
Getty Images
Billie Jean King

"We’re in solidarity about standing up for people who have been abused and have been harassed, and the industry is all staying together on this," said the tennis star, who accompanied Emma Stone on the red carpet.
Getty Images
Chrissy Metz

Before the red carpet, Metz said she told her publicist "If I can't be who I am I can't do this." On the carpet, she told Ryan Seacrest "We are all meant for something bigger better greater, but we’re not always taught that."
Getty Images
Alison Brie

Brie is nominated for her role in Netflix's "GLOW," but also acted alongside Meryl Streep in "The Post." She said, "Meryl Streep playing Katharine Graham was like feminism on feminism."

"It’s important to me to stand with all of the women who have come forward," Brie added, wearing a black ensemble in honor of Time's Up and the #MeToo movement. She added that's she's "so in awe of that bravery" of the women who have come forward with stories of sexual harassment and assault, and said, "It’s important for me to stand with those who don’t feel like they have a voice."
Getty Images
Sarah Jessica Parker

"I think it’s an enormous show of support tonight," said the "Divorce" star, who wore a black frock in honor of the Time's Up initiative. "This is a conversation that, as complicated as it is, it seems to be very welcome by everybody," she said to E!'s Ryan Seacrest. "I know it’s affected your network," she added in reference to Catt Sadler, who left E! after learning she earned far less than her male colleague. Parker went on to say that parity and gender equality shouldn't be overly complicated. "It’s about women in all industries, and men," she said.
Getty Images
Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria joined Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman in talking to Ryan Seacrest about the Time's Up initiative. Like Parker and Messing, Longoria called out E! for paying Catt Sadler less than her male colleague Jason Kennedy. "We support gender parity and equal pay, and we hope E! stands with that," she said to Seacrest.
Getty Images

1 of 12

“A revolution is taking place”

Debra Messing

"I am wearing black to thank and honor all the brave whistleblowers who came forward and shared their stories of harassment and discrimination," Messing said on Sunday's Golden Globes red carpet. She added that she's "shocked to to hear E! doesn’t believe in paying their female hosts the same as their male hosts," referring to Catt Sadler's exit from the network after learning she wasn't paid as much as her male counterpart, Jason Kennedy. "Women are just as important as men," she said.

View In Gallery

Golden Globes Red Carpet: Wisest Words on #MeToo Movement From Meryl Streep to Emma Watson (Photos)

7DAYFREETRIAL

7
DAY
FREE
TRIAL