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The Advertiser
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Bezos, Sanchez to exchange vows in star-studded Venice
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez are set to exchange marriage vows at a ceremony in Venice, part of a three-day wedding extravaganza that has attracted dozens of celebrity guests but also protests by local activists. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, will exchange rings on the small island of San Giorgio, opposite St Mark's Square on Friday, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of the famous Italian pop-opera tenor Andrea Bocelli. The ceremony will have no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting that the couple may have already legally wed in the United States, avoiding the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. The festivities, estimated to cost around $A75 million, culminate on Saturday with a party in a former medieval shipyard where Lady Gaga and Elton John are reportedly set to perform. Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, the queen of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and Domenico Dolce from Dolce & Gabbana are among the 200-250 guests. Amid tight security, there have been glimpses of the celebrities moving around town, the women in summer dresses and high heels stepping somewhat gingerly off boats ferrying them around the city's canals. Celebrations began on Thursday evening in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central district of Cannaregio that hosts masterpieces by 16th-century painter Tintoretto. "This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories," the bride and groom said on their wedding invitation, in which they asked for "no gifts" and pledged three million euros ($A5.4 million) in charity donations for three Venetian institutions. Businesses have welcomed the glitz and glamour but it is being resisted by a local protest movement whose members resent what they see as Venice being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders. Bezos is No. 4 on Forbes' billionaires list. Giulia Cacopardo, a 28-year-old representative of the "No Space for Bezos" movement, complained that the needs of ordinary people were being neglected in a city that is a tourist magnet and fast depopulating largely due to the soaring cost of living. Venice's city centre has less than 50,000 residents, compared to almost 100,000 in the late 1970s. "When you empty a city of its inhabitants, you can turn it into a stage for big events," Cacopardo told Reuters. "(But) the money that Bezos spends on this wedding does not end up in the pockets of Venetians. The owners of luxury hotels are not Venetians." A planned anti-Bezos march has forced the move of Saturday's party to a more secluded part of Venice, the Arsenale former shipyard. But politicians, hoteliers and other Venice residents are happy about the wedding, saying that such events do more to support the local economy than the multitudes of day-trippers who normally overrun the city. "We are happy and honoured to welcome Jeff Bezos and his consort Lauren Sanchez," said Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who sent white roses to the bride and a maxi-bottle of Amarone luxury red wine to the groom. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Scott. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez are set to exchange marriage vows at a ceremony in Venice, part of a three-day wedding extravaganza that has attracted dozens of celebrity guests but also protests by local activists. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, will exchange rings on the small island of San Giorgio, opposite St Mark's Square on Friday, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of the famous Italian pop-opera tenor Andrea Bocelli. The ceremony will have no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting that the couple may have already legally wed in the United States, avoiding the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. The festivities, estimated to cost around $A75 million, culminate on Saturday with a party in a former medieval shipyard where Lady Gaga and Elton John are reportedly set to perform. Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, the queen of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and Domenico Dolce from Dolce & Gabbana are among the 200-250 guests. Amid tight security, there have been glimpses of the celebrities moving around town, the women in summer dresses and high heels stepping somewhat gingerly off boats ferrying them around the city's canals. Celebrations began on Thursday evening in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central district of Cannaregio that hosts masterpieces by 16th-century painter Tintoretto. "This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories," the bride and groom said on their wedding invitation, in which they asked for "no gifts" and pledged three million euros ($A5.4 million) in charity donations for three Venetian institutions. Businesses have welcomed the glitz and glamour but it is being resisted by a local protest movement whose members resent what they see as Venice being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders. Bezos is No. 4 on Forbes' billionaires list. Giulia Cacopardo, a 28-year-old representative of the "No Space for Bezos" movement, complained that the needs of ordinary people were being neglected in a city that is a tourist magnet and fast depopulating largely due to the soaring cost of living. Venice's city centre has less than 50,000 residents, compared to almost 100,000 in the late 1970s. "When you empty a city of its inhabitants, you can turn it into a stage for big events," Cacopardo told Reuters. "(But) the money that Bezos spends on this wedding does not end up in the pockets of Venetians. The owners of luxury hotels are not Venetians." A planned anti-Bezos march has forced the move of Saturday's party to a more secluded part of Venice, the Arsenale former shipyard. But politicians, hoteliers and other Venice residents are happy about the wedding, saying that such events do more to support the local economy than the multitudes of day-trippers who normally overrun the city. "We are happy and honoured to welcome Jeff Bezos and his consort Lauren Sanchez," said Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who sent white roses to the bride and a maxi-bottle of Amarone luxury red wine to the groom. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Scott. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez are set to exchange marriage vows at a ceremony in Venice, part of a three-day wedding extravaganza that has attracted dozens of celebrity guests but also protests by local activists. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, will exchange rings on the small island of San Giorgio, opposite St Mark's Square on Friday, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of the famous Italian pop-opera tenor Andrea Bocelli. The ceremony will have no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting that the couple may have already legally wed in the United States, avoiding the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. The festivities, estimated to cost around $A75 million, culminate on Saturday with a party in a former medieval shipyard where Lady Gaga and Elton John are reportedly set to perform. Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, the queen of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and Domenico Dolce from Dolce & Gabbana are among the 200-250 guests. Amid tight security, there have been glimpses of the celebrities moving around town, the women in summer dresses and high heels stepping somewhat gingerly off boats ferrying them around the city's canals. Celebrations began on Thursday evening in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central district of Cannaregio that hosts masterpieces by 16th-century painter Tintoretto. "This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories," the bride and groom said on their wedding invitation, in which they asked for "no gifts" and pledged three million euros ($A5.4 million) in charity donations for three Venetian institutions. Businesses have welcomed the glitz and glamour but it is being resisted by a local protest movement whose members resent what they see as Venice being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders. Bezos is No. 4 on Forbes' billionaires list. Giulia Cacopardo, a 28-year-old representative of the "No Space for Bezos" movement, complained that the needs of ordinary people were being neglected in a city that is a tourist magnet and fast depopulating largely due to the soaring cost of living. Venice's city centre has less than 50,000 residents, compared to almost 100,000 in the late 1970s. "When you empty a city of its inhabitants, you can turn it into a stage for big events," Cacopardo told Reuters. "(But) the money that Bezos spends on this wedding does not end up in the pockets of Venetians. The owners of luxury hotels are not Venetians." A planned anti-Bezos march has forced the move of Saturday's party to a more secluded part of Venice, the Arsenale former shipyard. But politicians, hoteliers and other Venice residents are happy about the wedding, saying that such events do more to support the local economy than the multitudes of day-trippers who normally overrun the city. "We are happy and honoured to welcome Jeff Bezos and his consort Lauren Sanchez," said Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who sent white roses to the bride and a maxi-bottle of Amarone luxury red wine to the groom. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Scott. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez are set to exchange marriage vows at a ceremony in Venice, part of a three-day wedding extravaganza that has attracted dozens of celebrity guests but also protests by local activists. Bezos, 61, and Sanchez, 55, will exchange rings on the small island of San Giorgio, opposite St Mark's Square on Friday, accompanied by singing from Matteo Bocelli, son of the famous Italian pop-opera tenor Andrea Bocelli. The ceremony will have no legal status under Italian law, a senior city hall official told Reuters, suggesting that the couple may have already legally wed in the United States, avoiding the bureaucracy associated with an Italian marriage. The festivities, estimated to cost around $A75 million, culminate on Saturday with a party in a former medieval shipyard where Lady Gaga and Elton John are reportedly set to perform. Bill Gates, Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, the queen of Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Kris Jenner and Kim and Khloe Kardashian as well as Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner and Domenico Dolce from Dolce & Gabbana are among the 200-250 guests. Amid tight security, there have been glimpses of the celebrities moving around town, the women in summer dresses and high heels stepping somewhat gingerly off boats ferrying them around the city's canals. Celebrations began on Thursday evening in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central district of Cannaregio that hosts masterpieces by 16th-century painter Tintoretto. "This magical place has gifted us unforgettable memories," the bride and groom said on their wedding invitation, in which they asked for "no gifts" and pledged three million euros ($A5.4 million) in charity donations for three Venetian institutions. Businesses have welcomed the glitz and glamour but it is being resisted by a local protest movement whose members resent what they see as Venice being gift-wrapped for ultra-rich outsiders. Bezos is No. 4 on Forbes' billionaires list. Giulia Cacopardo, a 28-year-old representative of the "No Space for Bezos" movement, complained that the needs of ordinary people were being neglected in a city that is a tourist magnet and fast depopulating largely due to the soaring cost of living. Venice's city centre has less than 50,000 residents, compared to almost 100,000 in the late 1970s. "When you empty a city of its inhabitants, you can turn it into a stage for big events," Cacopardo told Reuters. "(But) the money that Bezos spends on this wedding does not end up in the pockets of Venetians. The owners of luxury hotels are not Venetians." A planned anti-Bezos march has forced the move of Saturday's party to a more secluded part of Venice, the Arsenale former shipyard. But politicians, hoteliers and other Venice residents are happy about the wedding, saying that such events do more to support the local economy than the multitudes of day-trippers who normally overrun the city. "We are happy and honoured to welcome Jeff Bezos and his consort Lauren Sanchez," said Mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who sent white roses to the bride and a maxi-bottle of Amarone luxury red wine to the groom. Bezos, Amazon's executive chair, got engaged to Sanchez in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to MacKenzie Scott.
The Advertiser
15-05-2025
- The Advertiser
'You should be ashamed': Weinstein accuser slams lawyer
A former model has reproached one of Harvey Weinstein 's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the former studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony on Wednesday at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his lawyers assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified on Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it. Another woman, Miriam Haley, already has told jurors at the retrial that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006. The third accuser, Jessica Mann, is expected to testify in the coming days or weeks. She alleges that Weinstein raped her in 2013. A former model has reproached one of Harvey Weinstein 's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the former studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony on Wednesday at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his lawyers assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified on Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it. Another woman, Miriam Haley, already has told jurors at the retrial that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006. The third accuser, Jessica Mann, is expected to testify in the coming days or weeks. She alleges that Weinstein raped her in 2013. A former model has reproached one of Harvey Weinstein 's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the former studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony on Wednesday at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his lawyers assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified on Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it. Another woman, Miriam Haley, already has told jurors at the retrial that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006. The third accuser, Jessica Mann, is expected to testify in the coming days or weeks. She alleges that Weinstein raped her in 2013. A former model has reproached one of Harvey Weinstein 's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the former studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony on Wednesday at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his lawyers assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified on Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it. Another woman, Miriam Haley, already has told jurors at the retrial that Weinstein forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006. The third accuser, Jessica Mann, is expected to testify in the coming days or weeks. She alleges that Weinstein raped her in 2013.
The Advertiser
15-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Weinstein accuser blasts defence lawyer
A former model reproached one of Harvey Weinstein's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the ex-studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his attorneys assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting that the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it. A former model reproached one of Harvey Weinstein's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the ex-studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his attorneys assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting that the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it. A former model reproached one of Harvey Weinstein's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the ex-studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his attorneys assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting that the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it. A former model reproached one of Harvey Weinstein's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the ex-studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his attorneys assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting that the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it.
West Australian
14-05-2025
- West Australian
Weinstein accuser blasts defence lawyer
A former model reproached one of Harvey Weinstein's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the ex-studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his attorneys assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting that the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it.
Perth Now
14-05-2025
- Perth Now
Weinstein accuser blasts defence lawyer
A former model reproached one of Harvey Weinstein's lawyers for suggesting that her sexual abuse allegations against the ex-studio boss are lies. "You should be ashamed of yourself," Kaja Sokola retorted. In her fifth and final day of testimony at Weinstein's sex crimes retrial, she maintained that she was telling the truth and that Weinstein's alleged conduct in her teens had changed the course of her life. "It changed the course of your life in that you got $US3.5 million ($A5.4 million) from false accusations?" defence lawyer Mike Cibella pressed, referring to compensation she was awarded through civil proceedings in recent years. "No. That's very unfair," Sokola said softly. "That's not true." During her days on the witness stand, she said Weinstein repeatedly offered to foster her acting ambitions but then made unwanted physical advances, beginning when she was 16 in 2002. Weinstein, 73, faces a sexual assault charge related solely to her allegation that he forced oral sex on her when she was 19. He also faces charges based on two other women's claims. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, and his attorneys assert that his accusers had consensual sexual encounters with the Oscar-winning producer because they wanted movie and TV work. Weinstein's lawyers grilled Sokola about her requests for career help from him after the alleged assault, her motives for her civil lawsuits and criminal trial testimony, as well as her personal struggles, and even a private journal she kept for an alcohol-abuse program in her native Poland. After apparently getting the decade-old writings via the witness' sister, the defence was allowed to bring up portions in which Sokola said two other men had sexually assaulted her over the years but didn't say the same about Weinstein. Instead, she wrote that he promised her help but didn't deliver. Sokola testified Wednesday that she had left out Weinstein's alleged sexual abuse partly because she couldn't come to terms with it at the time. Also, she said, her sponsor was in the film business in Poland and knew who Weinstein was. Cibella questioned that explanation, noting that the text mentioned only "Harvey W" and nothing about his profession. Sokola said her sponsor nonetheless knew his identity because they talked about it. Tearing up as she spoke, she said she hadn't seen the black notebook for 10 years, never gave anyone permission to share it and was stunned and appalled to be confronted with it in court. "I felt very violated," said Sokola, now 39 and a psychotherapist. She was the second of Weinstein's accusers to testify at the retrial, and the only one who wasn't involved in his first trial in 2020. That proceeding led to a landmark #MeToo-era conviction that was subsequently overturned, setting up the retrial. Prosecutors decided to add Sokola's allegations to it.
