A former model has accused disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein of sexually assaulting her when she was a minor, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.
Kaja Sokola, who was 16 when she moved to the United States from Poland to work as a model, filed a civil complaint in the New York State Supreme Court against Harvey Weinstein, Robert Weinstein, Disney, and Miramax.
She alleges that she and Weinstein met shortly after she immigrated to New York and that upon meeting, he promised to help her prospective modeling and acting career. However, on their first planned meeting, instead of going to lunch, Weinstein allegedly forced her to go to his apartment and would not let her leave until after he sexually assaulted her.
She originally was included in a class action lawsuit against Harvey Weinstein, his companies, and associates under a pseudonym, but said she “cannot accept the proposed” settlement agreement and decided to file her own lawsuit, according to a statement from Sokola provided to the Washington Examiner.
The proposed settlement would result in his accusers being granted $25 million, though Weinstein would not pay that money, nor would he be required to admit any wrongdoing.
Sokola, who is now a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, added, “There is no accountability for the perpetrators, insufficient compensation for all of the victims, and millions of dollars going to people that I believe enabled Weinstein.”
She was able to file the lawsuit under the recently passed the Child Victims Act, which extends the statute of limitations for criminal charges and civil actions against abusers.
Sokola’s laywers, Douglas H. Wigdor and Kevin Mintzer, said in a statement to the Washington Examiner, “While others may have decided to settle, albeit under some of the most offensive and one-sided terms, we hope that the filing of this complaint encourages other victims and the New York Attorney General to join us as we continue our efforts at holding Harvey Weinstein and his enablers accountable. Kaja Sokola, who was sexually abused by Harvey Weinstein when she was only 16 years old, is entitled to justice, and we intend to see that she gets it.”
