Alex Thomas
The drumbeat of stories chronicling Harvey Weinstein’s decades of alleged sexual abuse and harassment were given a chilling soundtrack on Tuesday when audio of the movie mogul trying to persuade an actress to watch him shower became public.
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In the recording, which was acquired by The New Yorker from the New York Police Department, Weinstein is talking to model Ambra Gutierrez, who was 22 at the time. The night before, Weinstein allegedly groped her, grabbing her breasts and attempting to put his hand up her skirt. Gutierrez left and reported the incident to the police. The next night, she again met with Weinstein, but this time she was wearing a wire; police hoped to get a confession out of Weinstein.
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At one point in the clip, Gutierrez asks Weinstein why he grabbed her breasts, and he responds, “I’m used to that. Come on. Please.” After a few minutes, Weinstein lets her leave. The tape also drew attention to Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr. as his office decided not to file charges against the producer. One police source involved in the investigation recalled to The New Yorker, “We had the evidence. It’s a case that made me angrier than I thought possible, and I have been on the force a long time.”
According to The Daily Beast’s reporting, Gutierrez was paid to keep quiet. When the New Yorker contacted her for comment, she declined to answer questions. The magazine cited a source that claimed the model signed an extremely restrictive nondisclosure agreement.
Since the audio became public, Weinstein has fled to Europe for “sex-addiction rehab,” and his wife Georgina Chapman, a successful designer, has left him.
