Few weeks ago, #MeToo activist and Italian actress Asia Argento was accused of sexually assaulting a minor Jimmy Bennett when he was 17 years old in a hotel room in California in 2013. And now Argento’s lawyer is disputing allegations that the 42-year-old actress sexually abused Bennett and instead claims he ‘attacked’ her. Mark Heller, Argento’s new attorney issued a lengthy statement on his website on Wednesday addressing a previous article in New York Times which read that she had initiated a sexual attack on Bennett but in her defence, he wrote: ‘Asia at no time initiated a sexual encounter with Bennett’. #Metoo Activist Asia Argento Settles Her Own Sexual Assault Case By Paying the Victim USD 380K.

Heller went on to say Argento’s denial statement in which she claimed she ‘never had any sexual relationship with Bennett is ‘completely accurate.’ “Her relationship with Bennett was never sexual, but rather the relationship was a long-distance friendship over many years,” he added, as reported by Fox News. After Argento released her denial, TMZ published a photo and text messages that appeared to contradict the actress’ claim. Heller referring to the text messages, wrote: “As revealed in the text messages published by TMZ, Asia stated, ‘The horny kid jumped me…I had sex with him it felt weird.’ She went on to relate that she became ‘frozen’ when he was on top of her and he told her that she had been his sexual fantasy since he was 12 years old’.” He continues, “Asia chose at the time not to prosecute Bennett for sexually attacking her.”

Late August, reports of the Italian actress paying off her own sexual assault surfaced. But Heller said in the statement that the payment was set up by Argento’s late boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain. Bourdain entered a 380,000 dollars agreement with Bennett to ‘protect Asia’s and his reputation’. In court documents released earlier, Bennett had showed notes Argento had previously written to him and gave him alcohol. She then reportedly kissed him, pushed him back on the bed, performed oral sex on him and then the two had intercourse.

Bennett, now 22, broke his silence after his sexual offender came out as a victim and said that she was raped by Harvey Weinstein. In a statement, he said, “I did not initially speak out about my story because I chose to handle it in private with the person who wronged me. My trauma surfaced as she came out as a victim herself. I have not made a public statement in the past days and hours because I was ashamed and afraid to be a part of the public narrative.”

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 06, 2018 11:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).