Eric Weinberg, a co-executive producer and author for the 2000s TV comedy Scrubs, was arrested once more on Tuesday and charged with 18 counts of sexual abuse and assault by the Los Angeles County District Lawyer’s Workplace.
The arrest was made days after costs — together with rape, oral copulation, sexual battery, false imprisonment, assault by means to trigger nice bodily hurt and 6 counts of forcible penetration by a international object — had been filed. The 62-year-old is accused of sexually assaulting 5 girls between 2014 and 2019. He was taken into custody Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. and launched by midnight after posting $5 million bond. He’s anticipated to be arraigned on October 25.
In line with the district legal professional, on two totally different events in 2014, Weinberg allegedly approached two girls at public places and advised them he was a photographer. Each occasions, the victims finally went to his residence, the place he’s accused of sexually assaulting them. Weinberg allegedly used the identical tactic in 2017 with one other girl who additionally claims he sexually assaulted her. He is additionally accused of sexually assaulting two different girls in separate incidents in 2018 and 2019.
District Lawyer George Gascón stated in a press release on Wednesday that Weinberg, who additionally was a producer on Showtime’s Californication and FX’s Anger Administration, “relied on his Hollywood credentials to lure younger girls for photoshoots the place he allegedly sexually assaulted them. Energy and affect can corrupt some to harm others that always results in a lifetime of trauma for many who are victimized. My workplace’s Bureau of Sufferer Companies is right here to assist in the therapeutic course of to make sure all victims have the steering and assist they want on the highway to restoration.”
Weinberg was initially arrested in July on costs together with rape. He was launched after posting $3,225,000 bond. That led to dozens of further potential victims contacting regulation enforcement. The district legal professional is urging anybody else with data to come back ahead by contacting the Los Angeles Police Division at (323) 561-3272 or by way of electronic mail at [email protected] or by calling LADA’s Bureau of Sufferer Companies at (800) 380-3811.
On the time of the July arrest, LAPD investigators stated Weinberg focused girls of their 20s and 30s in grocery shops, espresso outlets and different public locations claiming to be a photographer. He allegedly arrange photoshoots with them at his residence the place he “would sexually assault them.” Authorities sought further unidentified victims — way back to the early ’90s — urging them to come back ahead.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke to a few of his accusers for a narrative that ran on Sept. 1. Greater than two dozen girls alleged a sample of predatory habits and misconduct going again a long time. A few of the allegations, as early as 2000 when he labored on Scrubs, included claims of inappropriate conduct involving minors.
Lots of the girls stated Weinberg, who obtained 5 Emmy nominations for his work on Scrubs and Politically Incorrect With Invoice Maher, used his Hollywood resume to ascertain credibility after which pressured them throughout shoots into taking off their clothes. A number of girls alleged nonconsensual sexual exercise and claimed he continuously photographed them throughout it.
Weinberg beforehand averted comparable costs. He was arrested in 2014 when then 22-year-old Kayra Raecke alleged to LAPD that he had raped her throughout a photoshoot at his residence. Raecke claimed Weinberg choked her with one hand and took pictures with the opposite. She advised authorities she thought she could die throughout the alleged assault. The deputy district legal professional on the time declined to prosecute, citing “inadequate proof.”
In 2016, regulation enforcement really useful costs in opposition to Weinberg for a distinct alleged nonconsensual sexual encounter with an unidentified girl. Once more, the district legal professional declined to cost as a result of there was “no proof that the defendant used drive, threats or intimidation.”
The Hollywood Reporter‘s story stated Weinberg saved information of his encounters. In 2008, his then-wife Hilary Bidwell, allegedly discovered nude images and papers with names and numbers of a whole bunch of ladies, a lot of them accompanied by places — like grocery retailer, library, fitness center — the place they met. He stated they had been from previous headshot shoots he would do. They separated once more after Raecke’s allegation however did not formally divorce. Then in 2020, she began proceedings after a girls reached out to her alleging Weinberg was inappropriate together with her minor daughter.
That drove Bidwell to rent a non-public investigation agency to see if there have been different accusers. She found a Fb put up by artist Claire Wilson cautioning girls in opposition to Weinberg, whom she accused of sexually assaulting her after they met on OKCupid. Different girls commented recounting their very own alleged encounters with Weinberg. A number of accusers have since banded collectively and retained an legal professional.
Weinberg denied the allegations, beforehand releasing a press release to THR by way of his divorce lawyer, saying they stem from his bitter divorce.
“As we’ve got sadly seen as of late, repeatedly, a closely litigated and acrimonious custody dispute has now given rise to strategically positioned felony allegations,” he stated. “These claims have beforehand been investigated and reviewed by each regulation enforcement and the Los Angeles household courtroom and the outcomes wholly undermine the narrative now being promulgated. Although Mr. Weinberg himself is precluded from commenting on any side of this litigation on account of courtroom orders, household regulation guidelines and in the perfect pursuits of his minor kids, he’ll proceed by way of counsel to cooperate in all elements of this investigation and, if needed, will handle these allegations in the one discussion board that ought to matter — a public courtroom.”
This story was initially revealed on Oct. 5, 2022 at 4:57 p.m. ET and has been up to date with new data.
