Model Ambra Battilana has released sound recordings of approaching attempts by Harvey Weinstein on Sunday, reports 60 Minutes Australia. The film producer had paid her 1 million dollars (about 900,000 euros) to destroy the recordings from March 2015, but the model kept a copy and decided to break her obligation to remain silent.
In the recordings, of which the written text became known in October 2017, you can hear how the film producer repeatedly asks the then 22-year-old model to go with him to his hotel room for a massage. Battilana refuses, says “I feel uncomfortable with this” and Weinstein can be heard saying “Don’t ruin your friendship with me for five minutes” and “If you don’t trust me, you will miss out on great opportunities.”
The day before the shooting, Weinstein had put his hand on the chest and the leg of the model against her will. The model went straight to the police, who convinced her to record another meeting with the film producer the next day.
Weinstein started a grease campaign
The police summoned Weinstein after listening to the recordings at the police station. The 67-year-old film producer then started a smear campaign against Battilana, who then decided not to pursue her case and to agree to a lump sum payment and the obligation to remain silent.
However, Battilana saved a copy of the sound recording. She now brings them out to support Weinstein’s other victims at all costs and to show what kind of person Weinstein is.
In 2017 the New York Times that Weinstein paid women to remain silent about sexual abuse by him. The charges of two women led to a lawsuit in New York. After the substantive treatment, a twelve-member jury has been considering since 18 February.
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