Film producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexually assaulting more than 70 women, surrendered at the New York police station on Friday, Reuters reported. He was arrested on charges of rape, committing a criminal sex act, sexual abuse and sexual misconduct, the New York Police Department said.
Weinstein was taken to the New York County Supreme Court later in the day to be arraigned on the charges. He had earlier denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.
The court charged him with first degree rape, third degree rape and first degree criminal sexual act. A judge set a $10 million (Rs 67.8 crore) bond for Weinstein, reported CNN, adding that he can pay $1 million (Rs 6.78 crore) in cash. Weinstein has also been told to surrender his passport and to wear a tracking device.
Weinstein’s attorney Benjamin Braffman said the producer plans to plead not guilty to the three felony charges against him.
“Today’s charges reflect significant progress in this active, ongoing investigation,” Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R Vance Junior told CNN.
On February 12, the state of New York sued the film producer and his former company for years of sexual harassment and misconduct with employees. After a four-month investigation into the allegations against Weinstein, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said employees of The Weinstein Company had faced “pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination”.
The allegations of sexual assault were first reported by The New York Times and the New Yorker in 2017, which led to the #MeToo movement where women across the world have publicly accused men in positions of power of sexual misconduct.
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