Asia Argento has denied allegations surrounding her relationship with actor Jimmy Bennett while he was an underage teen, insisting that there wasn't a sexual encounter between the pair in 2013.
In a statement distributed by her agent on Tuesday, Argento said, "I strongly deny and oppose the contents of the New York Times article… as circulated also in national and international news."
An article published by the New York Times on Sunday claimed that Argento had paid Bennett $380,000 to keep quiet about their sexual encounter, which reportedly took place at a hotel in Los Angeles.
According to Bennett's allegations, Argento had sex with him while he was 17 years old, below the legal age of consent in the state of California.
She went on to describe herself as "deeply shocked and hurt" by the allegations hurled against her, which she stressed are "absolutely false."
Argento’s illustrious career stretches beyond acting, with the Italian also producing films and modelling for several brands.
She became a key figure in the #MeToo movement after she went public about sexual abuse by disgraced ex-Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, but is now on the receiving end of criticism.
READ MORE: LA Police Seek Out Weinstein Accuser's "Abuse Victim" as She Faces Criticism
