NEW YORK — Federal prosecutors in New York have started a sex-crimes investigation into Harvey Weinstein, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
Federal investigators are also examining whether Weinstein “lured or induced any women to travel across state lines for the purpose of committing a sex crime,” as part of the inquiry, according to the WSJ report.
When asked for comment by CNN, Weinstein’s attorney Benjamin Brafman confirmed his comments reported in the WSJ.
Brafman said he has met with federal prosecutors in Manhattan “in an attempt to dissuade them from proceeding” and will continue to meet with them in coming weeks.
“Mr. Weinstein has always maintained that he has never engaged in nonconsensual sexual acts,” Brafman said.
In addition, a New York state grand jury is hearing testimony and other evidence in the criminal sex assault case against Weinstein, a source with knowledge of the investigation confirmed to CNN.
Weinstein is under investigation for alleged sex crimes in New York, Los Angeles and London.
Dozens of women have come forward publicly to accuse him of misconduct following explosive reports in The New York Times and the New Yorker last year about his treatment of women, including young actresses with whom he worked.
He has been accused of rape, assault and other forms of sexual misconduct. His representative said he sought treatment after the accusations and any allegations of nonconsensual sex were “unequivocally denied.”
The decades of alleged abuse by Weinstein set in motion an ongoing anti-harassment movement that has been punctuated by the “#metoo” campaign.
It has had ripple effects across multiple industries, taking down powerful men in the media and business worlds.
