Asia Argento has responded to actor Jimmy Bennett’s sexual assault claims in a lengthy statement through a new attorney, reports Page Six, who said that Argento is stopping payments to Bennett. Argento’s lawyer, Mark Jay Heller, denies reports that Argento had a sexual relationship with Bennett.
“Her relationship with Bennett was never sexual, but rather the relationship was a long distance friendship over many years,” he said in a statement, according to Page Six.
I just received this statement from @AsiaArgento in response to the NYT story published late Sunday evening. pic.twitter.com/jAOo7TAULX
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) August 21, 2018
The statement also acknowledges Argento’s late boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain. It says Bourdain entered a $380,000 agreement with Bennett to protect Argento. But, according to Page Six, Heller’s statement says, “Now that Mr. Bourdain has passed away and is not able to comment on his desire to avoid potential scandal … Asia will not permit any portion of the balance of the $380,000 payment to be paid to Bennett who has already received $250,000 from Anthony Bourdain.”
Bennett has accused Argento of sexually assaulting him when he was 17-years-old.
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