Model sues former Miramax exec and Harvey Weinstein ‘fixer’ for ‘raping her as a teen’

A model has alleged that one of Harvey Weinstein’s former right-hand men raped her at age 19 in a New York hotel after luring her to a penthouse suite with the promise of a meeting with the disgraced movie mogul.

Sara Ziff, 40, said Fabrizio Lombardo attacked her in 2001 when she was 19 after a screening of Black Hawk Down.

Lombardo is the former head of Miramax Italy and has previously been described as a “fixer” for Weinstein who “bought” girls for the producer – claims he denies.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which allows alleged victims of sexual abuse to file a lawsuit regardless of how much time has passed.

Ziff is also suing Disney, Miramax and Weinstein in the lawsuit, claiming they knew Lombardo was a “danger to women” but did nothing about it.

Lombardo is the former head of Miramax Italy and has previously been described as a ‘fixer’ for Weinstein who ‘bought’ girls for the producer – claims he is denied

The suit says Ziff attended the film screening with Lombardo on the advice of her agent, who said it could lead to a meeting with Weinstein and help her career.

But Weinstein “barely acknowledged her” at the screening, the suit said. Ziff claims that Lombardo invited her to a hotel afterwards with the promise of meeting Weinstein and possibly his brother, Bob Weinstein.

‘Mrs. Little did Ziff know that what awaited her at the hotel was not the promised chance to discuss her acting career with the Weinstein brothers, but a trap set by Mr. Lombardo to get Ms. Ziff alone and rape her,” the lawsuit read. .

Ziff “began to doubt if anyone else would join them” after arriving at the penthouse with Lombardo. He then began making “unwelcome advances,” including rubbing her thigh, causing her to push his hand away.

The lawsuit added: “Desperate to stop Mr. Lombardo from touching her, but fearful that she would lose professional opportunities if she offended him, Ms. Ziff made it clear she was not interested in Mr. Lombardo by saying she flattered, but she had a boyfriend.’

Ziff claims that Lombardo then forced her onto a bed and raped her.

Fabrizio Lombardo (right), who has denied claims he was a “fixer” who “bought” girls for Harvey Weinstein, is accused of raping a model in a New York City hotel after luring her with the promise of an encounter with the disgraced movie mogul

After the attack, he reportedly said ‘it was fantastic that a girl of Mrs. Ziff’s age would find a man his age attractive’.

The suit says Ziff attended several meetings with Lombardo, Weinstein and fashion photographer Patrick Demarchelier in the weeks that followed.

She attended because she feared that “if she didn’t, Mr. Lombardo would retaliate against her by using his powerful connections in the modeling and acting industries—including Mr. Weinstein—to promote her work early in her career.” to deny’. said the pack.

‘Mr. Lombardo could never have raped Ms. Ziff if it wasn’t for his position at Miramax and Disney,” the indictment said.

It continues, “Basically, Harvey Weinstein — and thus Miramax and Disney — were fully aware that Mr. Lombardo was a danger to women he encountered at work. Despite this knowledge, they did nothing to properly guide Mr. Lombardo or prevent him from victimizing more women.

As a result, Mr. Lombardo was able to use his position at Miramax and Disney, as well as those companies’ offices and resources, to lure Ms. Ziff, then just a teenager, into a mock meeting where he raped her. ‘

Lombardo was a close friend of Weinstein’s at the time of the alleged assault, and Weinstein was the best man at Lombardo’s 2003 wedding.

He is described in the suit as a citizen and resident of Italy.

Weinstein is likely to die in prison after being jailed for sexually assaulting several women. His pattern of transgression was highlighted through the 2017 #MeToo movement.

In February, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for rape and assault. He was already serving a 23-year prison sentence after being found guilty of more attacks in a previous case.