Who is Ambra Battilana? Model caught in Harvey Weinstein allegations who wore a secret wire to ‘record him propositioning her’
THE sexual harassment scandal surrounding Harvey Weinstein deepened as it emerged the Hollywood producer was allegedly recorded apologising to an Italian model who accused him of groping her breasts.
Beauty queen Ambra Battilana Gutierrez wore a wire during a police sting in 2015 in an attempt to extract a confession from Weinstein. Here is everything we know about the model and her allegations against the disgraced movie mogul.
Who is Ambra Battilana Gutierrez?
Ambra Battilana Gutierrez, 24, is an Italian model of Filipino descent who competed in the Miss Italia 2010 pageant.
The Miss Italy finalist is one of several woman have come forward with allegations against Weinstein including high-profile stars including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie,
She claims Weinstein lunged at her breasts, groped them - then asked if they were real, and tried to put his hand up her skirt at his office in Manhattan in March 2015.
Ambra, then 22, went to cops to report his behaviour, where investigators from the NYPD’s Special Victims Division equipped her with a hidden microphone before she confronted Weinstein the next day at the nearby Tribeca Grand Hotel.
The New Yorker claims three women have accused him of rape, allegations he “unequivocally denies”.
The sexual harassment scandal surrounding Weinstein, who has collected six best picture Oscars, deepened on Tuesday when three women accused him of rape.
At least 21 accusations of varying degrees of harassment have since emerged - including seven allegations he exposed himself - and four accusations of sexual assault.
What has Harvey Weinstein said about the allegations?
A lawyer for Weinstein claimed the allegations were "patently false".
Weinstein said in a statement: “I appreciate the way I’ve behaved with colleagues in the past has caused a lot of pain, and I sincerely apologise for it.
“Though I’m trying to do better, I know I have a long way to go.”
Weinstein has now been forced out of his own company in the wake of the scandal.