Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted 16-year-old model — then bragged about boosting careers of A-list stars, court hears as rape retrial begins

Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted a 16-year-old model inside his Soho apartment — and then bragged to her about helping boost the careers of Gwyneth Paltrow and Penélope Cruz, a court heard Wednesday at the start of his Manhattan retrial.

The disgraced film producer’s youngest accuser, Kaja Sokola, was identified as the new witness set to confront Weinstein, 73, in Manhattan Supreme Court after his prior conviction at the height of the #MeToo movement was tossed on appeal.

The former Miramax executive pinned down the woman from Poland and forcefully carried out oral sex on her "as she wept and pleaded 'Please don't do this,'" Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Shannon Lucey stated to the jury during the initial proceedings.

He first allegedly assaulted Sokola in 2002, when she was just 16 , after she agreed to meet him for lunch, the prosecutor said.

Weinstein subsequently instructed his chauffeur to drive them to his residence, where he suggested she come upstairs, claiming he only needed to retrieve some documents, according to Lucey.

Inside, the "Pulp Fiction" producer insisted that the teenage girl remove her shirt, claiming "this is how things work in the industry," before he proceeded to sexually assault her, according to the prosecutor.

Following the conclusion of the assault, Weinstein mentioned Paltrow and Cruz’s names before offering Sokola what he claimed was sage guidance; he told her she "had to improve her stubborn nature," according to Lucey.

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The accused serial sex pest was wheeled into the courtroom in a wheelchair Wednesday morning. He sat at the defense table wearing a navy suit, white shirt and tie as the trial kicked off, following more than a week of jury selection that ended with a panel of seven women and five men being selected.

As the prosecutor outlined the purported vicious assaults, he tranquilly sipped from a glass of water.

Sokola, now in her mid-30s, is expected to testify at trial, alongside two other women, Jessica Mann and Miriam “Mimi” Haley, who say Weinstein lured them into his web with the promise of advancing their careers before sexually assaulting them.

He is accused of raping Mann and forcing oral sex on Haley. Both women also testified at Weinstein’s 2020 trial.

“The defendant wanted their bodies, and the more they resisted, the more forceful he got,” Lucey said.

The fallen Hollywood kingpin “had enormous control over those working in TV and film because he decided who was in, and who was out,” she said.

“He used those dream opportunities as weapons.”

Despite the 2002 attack, Sokola persisted in contacting Weinstein in an attempt to kickstart her acting career, according to the prosecutor. The Academy Award-winning producer possessed what could be considered "a shot at making it—or failing," as stated.

In 2006, Weinstein secured Sokola a part as an extra in the movie "The Nanny Diaries," which allowed her to encounter high-profile stars like Scarlett Johansson and Alicia Keys, according to what was presented in court.

On one occasion at the set, Weinstein approached her silently and murmured into her ear, "You're receiving special attention," according to the prosecutor.

In April, when Weinstein was 54 years old, he invited the 19-year-old to his hotel room under false pretenses once more, telling her they would "look at some scripts," the court was informed.

After entering, the "Shakespeare in Love" producer instructed her to take off her clothing, according to Lucey.

Weinstein subsequently pushed her onto the bed and proceeded with oral sex against her pleas for him to halt, according to the prosecutor.

The accused sicko masturbated during the encounter, and when he was finished, nonchalantly told her, “See that wasn’t so bad,” jurors heard.

Weinstein is only charged with the 2006 incident — and faces up to 25 years if convicted of a “forcible”criminal sexual act — though jurors will hear Sokola testify about the earlier episode as well.

Sokola kept her accusations private until after 2017, following which Harvey Weinstein became emblematic of the global #MeToo movement fighting sexual misconduct.

In 2019, she initiated legal action against Weinstein, which concluded in 2023 with a settlement of $3 million, according to prosecutors on Wednesday.

Weinstein has entered a plea of not guilty and he denies ever sexually assaulting anyone.

The attorney representing him, Arthur Aidala, stated during his opening remarks that the former studio head was involved in purely consensual "reciprocal arrangements" with women who freely took part in an exchange of favors.

"He arranges auditions for them, he secures them jobs. In exchange, they engage in sexual activities with him. These encounters were consensual," Aidala stated before the jury.

“Even after all these years, it becomes an issue,” he mentioned additionally.

Actors Tarale Wulff and Dawn Dawning, who testified against Weinstein at his first trial in 2020, observed the proceedings from a packed courthouse gallery.

Weinstein was convicted separately for rape in California after an Italian model testified that he threw himself on her after appearing uninvited outside her hotel room during an Italian film festival in 2013.

He’s currently staying at Bellevue Hospital after convincing a judge to temporarily transfer him from Rikers Island, where he claimed he was not getting proper treatment for his various health ailments.

Weinstein could be sentenced to as many as 25 years in prison for the Manhattan case due to charges including two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, along with an additional four years for being convicted of third-degree rape.