Actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto, 54, is facing allegations of sexual misconduct and grooming involving minors. The BBC reported on testimonies from 10 women regarding these claims, but Leto has categorically denied all allegations, stating, "I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my life."
On July 29, the BBC released a documentary titled 'Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret.' The film includes testimonies from 10 women who claim to have met Leto, with four alleging that his actions constituted criminal sexual offenses.
According to the testimonies, one woman claimed she was raped by Leto in a motel in Nevada when she was 17 in 2002. Another woman stated that in 2013, while she was 19 in a hotel room in London, Leto repeatedly made comments suggesting sexual assault.
A third woman alleged that in 2006, when she was 17 and Leto was 34, they had sexual relations at his home in California. She noted that the age of consent in California is 18, but Leto reportedly dismissed her concerns. The BBC explained that if true, this could be classified as statutory rape under California law.
The fourth woman, who was 16 in 2014 and aspiring to be a model, claimed she received repeated sexual calls from Leto after meeting him. She said he proposed sexual relations and later asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which she refused. The BBC confirmed it had reviewed related NDAs, text messages, and emails.
Additionally, another woman alleged that when she was 14, Leto made sexual comments about her body at a music festival and instructed his security to take her backstage. Two former staff members who worked with the band for an extended period anonymously testified in the documentary that they were directed to bring young female fans or models to Leto's dressing room or workspace after performances.
The BBC stated that some of the women's testimonies were corroborated by statements from family and friends who heard the accounts at the time, and in some cases, evidence such as photos and messages was obtained. However, the BBC reported that it did not receive a response from Leto's team despite multiple requests for comment before the story was published.
Following the report, Leto issued an official statement through People magazine, asserting, "I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my life," and called the allegations "absolute and unequivocal lies." He also sent a similar statement to the BBC, denying all claims.
This is not the first time Leto has faced controversy. The BBC noted that last year, the American media outlet Airmail reported similar allegations involving Leto and nine women, to which Leto's team also denied all claims.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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