Rose McGowan tells of Harvey Weinstein and former lawyers' efforts to silence her as she files lawsuit

Rose McGowan was one of the first and most prominent of dozens of women to accuse Harvery Weinstein of sexual misconduct
AP

Rose McGowan has said Harvey Weinstein and two of his former lawyers engaged in racketeering to silence her and shut down her career before she accused him of rape.

The actress filed a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles on Wednesday that names Weinstein, lawyers David Boies and Lisa Bloom, and others as defendants.

McGowan's lawyers said in a statement that the defendants used unlawful tactics in "a sprawling smear campaign to defraud, malign, and marginalise McGowan".

Ms Bloom's lawyer said there was no basis for McGowan's claims. Emails seeking comment from the other defendants were not immediately returned.

Disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein leaves the State Supreme Court (AFP/Getty Images file photo)
AFP/Getty Images

McGowan was one of the earliest and one of the most prominent of dozens of women to accuse Weinstein of sexual misconduct.

The former movie mogul has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex.

McGown’s is one of several lawsuits, along with criminal charges, against Weinstein stemming from the sexual misconduct allegations.

But hers goes further than most in including the team around Weinstein, alleging that they illegally conspired to intimidate her, other victims, and journalists attempting to tell their stories.

Weinstein, 67, is scheduled for trial in January on charges alleging that he raped an unidentified woman in his Manhattan hotel room in 2013 and performed a forcible sex act on a different woman in 2006.

Agencies contributed to this report

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