A Netflix series producer has filed a lawsuit against former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein that alleges five years of rape, plus physical and verbal abuse—treatment she endured under repeated threats that Weinstein would end her career.
Alexandra Canosa, an associate producer on the Netflix series Marco Polo, which Weinstein executive-produced, filed the suit Monday in Manhattan Supreme Court in New York City, according to BuzzFeed News. The suit alleges that Weinstein sexually assaulted her multiple times between 2010 and 2015.
Canosa says that Weinstein repeatedly insisted on meeting her in “isolated environments” and would demand sex from her. These claims echo those of other accusers who have come forward with stories of abuse and harassment from Weinstein, including Lupita Nyong’o and Ashley Judd, who filed her own suit against the Hollywood exec earlier this week for defamation and sexual harassment.
Canosa’s suit details the exact dates and locations of the alleged abuses, which include instances of sexual assault in New York and Los Angeles, an alleged rape in Malaysia and physical abuse in Weinstein’s hotel room in Budapest, Hungary.
Throughout, Weinstein “made it clear that if [Canosa] 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,” court documents say.
But Weinstein isn’t the only defendant in the suit. CNN reports that the Weinstein Co. and the Weinstein Co. Holdings; Harvey’s brother and business partner, Robert Weinstein; and nine other people tied to the Weinstein brand are also listed as defendants.
The complaint states that the other defendants “knew or should have known” about Harvey’s conduct and did nothing to correct or confront him about the abuse. Rather, they “facilitated, hid, and supported” him.
Currently, Weinstein is also facing multiple civil suits involving sexual assault allegations, as well as potential criminal charges in New York, California and the U.K.
The news of Canosa’s suit—and her targeting of Weinstein’s alleged enablers—surely comes as a huge relief to the “What about Weinstein?” crowd that popped up after Bill Cosby was convicted on three counts of aggravated indecent assault last week. After all, that concern was definitely about ensuring that victims of sexual crimes get the justice they deserve.
Right?