Update: TMZ got their hands on the photo behind the scandal between actress Asia Argento and her former co-star Jimmy Bennett. The photo is reportedly from 2013, which shows a then 17-year-old lying shirtless in bed with Argento with their arms entangled. Sources say the photo was taken after the two had sex at a hotel.

TMZ also got text messages between Argento and a friend, where she states, "it wasn't raped (sic) but I was frozen. He was on top of me. After, he told me I had been his sexual fantasy since was 12."

The L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. is determining if a criminal investigation is warranted in the situation.

Source: TMZ

Update: Actress Asia Argento responded to claims that she sexually assaulted her former co-star Jimmy Bennett when he was 17. TMZ reports that they saw a photo of Asia and Jimmy lying on a bed together with their heads pressed together and smiling. Argento reportedly paid $380,000 to Bennett to keep the photo from leaking to the public, which she addressed in a statement to the New York Times' Yashar Ali.

Argento denies having "any sexual relationship" with Bennett, adding that her late boyfriend Anthony Bourdain wanted to protect his reputation as well as Argento's in the matter, so he paid Bennett.

She explained, "Bennett knew my boyfriend, Anthony Bourdain, was a man of great perceived wealth and had his own reputation as a beloved public figure to protect.

"Anthony insisted the matter be handled privately and this was also what Bennett wanted. Anthony was afraid of the possible negative publicity that such [a] person, whom he considered dangerous, could have brought upon us.

"We decided to deal compassionately with Bennett’s demand for help and give it to him. Anthony personally undertook to help Bennett economically, upon the condition that we would no longer suffer any further instructions in our life."

You can read Argento's full statement to Yashar Ali above.

According to a report, Asia Argento - one of the first #MeToo accusers to come out against Harvey Weinstein allegedly paid off a former child actor to keep his sexual misconduct claims against her quiet.

The New York Times reported that Argento gave a former child star named Jimmy Bennett $380,000. The former child actor says that Argento assaulted him while they were in a California hotel when he was 17. This took place in 2013. California’s age of consent is 18.

It was noted the documents that featured the accusations against Argento surfaced not too long after she came out with sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Asia Argento said Harvey Weinstein raped her when she was 21.

Since the allegations surfaced against Argento, other people who became the face of the #MeToo movement like Rose McGowan have separated themselves from Argento. McGowan issued a statement saying “I got to know Asia Argento ten months ago. Our commonality is the shared pain of being assaulted by Harvey Weinstein. My heart is broken. I will continue my work on behalf of victims everywhere.”

Source: hollywoodreporter.com