Movie mogul charged with rape, other sexual crimes
Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was arraigned in a New York court Friday, charged with rape and a criminal sex act on two women, nearly eight months after his career imploded in a blaze of accusations that triggered the #MeToo movement.
The former mogul -- once the toast of Hollywood and whose films won scores of Oscars -- grinned as he was escorted into a Manhattan court building in handcuffs.
Standing alongside his celebrated defense attorney, Weinstein looked glum and appeared not to speak during the fleeting court appearance, at which he agreed to post bail at $1 million cash and was ordered fitted with a GPS monitoring device.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office said he was charged with rape in the first and third degrees, stemming from an attack on a woman in 2013, and a criminal sex act against another woman in 2004. Neither victims were named.
"Today's charges reflect significant progress in this active, ongoing investigation," said District Attorney Cyrus Vance, thanking "brave survivors" for coming forward and urging others to call a sex crimes hotline.
They are the first criminal charges against the twice-married, shamed former titan, who already faces a slew of civil lawsuits, is reportedly under federal investigation and whose former studio has filed for bankruptcy.
His defense attorney told reporters that Weinstein would enter a not guilty plea. "We intend to move very quickly to dismiss these charges," Ben Brafman said. "We believe that they are not factually supported by the evidence."
The 66-year-old former studio boss surrendered to police shortly before 7:30 am (1130 GMT) wearing a white shirt, pale blue sweater and dark blazer before a mob of television cameras and photographers.
He stepped out of a black SUV and walked into the police station.
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