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Harvey Weinstein 'almost died after gastric band failed at Naomi Campbell's party'

'People ran out to say Harvey was flat out on the floor and could hardly breathe'

Jack Shepherd
Monday 23 October 2017 11:46 BST
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Harvey Weinstein is alleged to have sexually assaulted and harassed women for decades
Harvey Weinstein is alleged to have sexually assaulted and harassed women for decades (Getty)

Harvey Weinstein’s former chauffeur has revealed further information about the disgraced Hollywood mogul who has been accused of sexual abuse by multiple actors.

Mickael Chemloul, 56, told The Sun how staff secretly called Weinstein ‘The Pig’ and spoke about several occasions where he would engage in sexual acts in the car.

On one occasion, Weinstein was with a woman who was "begging him not to hurt her”, the pair going to a hotel room while his pregnant wife slept nearby.

Chemloul drove Weinstein around the South of France between 2008 to 2013, saying of the producer: “Weinstein was a terrible man to work for. Everyone knew him as le porc [the pig] because of his size and because he sweated so much. When he came to Cannes we all knew what to expect.”

Speaking about a singular incident with a woman, Chemloul said: “She was a good-looking girl, around 25 to 30, who had clearly had a few drinks. This was a fairly familiar sight for me, but even I was shocked when I heard her say, ‘Don’t hurt me’ in the car.”

Chemloul also detailed how Weinstein almost died at Naomi Campbell’s birthday party: “People ran out to say Harvey was flat out on the floor and could hardly breathe.

“Luckily for Harvey someone found a surgeon who lived nearby on the Cap D’Antibes. It appeared he had eaten so much from the buffet that it was too much for the sort of gastric band he had fitted.”

The surgeon apparently lifted the band, allowing Weinstein to breathe easier, saying how the producer would have died within 30 minutes if not for the intervention.

“The amazing thing was that when he opened his eyes and saw me, he said, ‘F*** you, go home.’ Then he went back to the buffet and started eating again,” Chemloul added.

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Weinstein has denied all allegations against him, the mogul reportedly saying from rehab that there’s a “conspiracy” against him. Conversely, actors including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Beckinsale, Lupita Nyong’o, and Angelina Jolie have all accused Weinstein of harassment, while Rose McGowan has accused him of rape.

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