Harvey Weinsteins bid to get a sex-trafficking case dismissed has failed.
The disgraced Hollywood moviestar, 66, argued that he exchanged nothing of value with British actress Kadian Noble, 31, when he lured to Cannes for a private meeting in February 2014.
Weinstein is accused of molesting Noble and forcing her into a bathroom to watch him masturbate when she was invited to show him her demo reel in his suite at Le Majestic Hotel during Cannes Film Festival.
Her claims that he violated laws against sex trafficking were upheld by Manhattan federal judge Robert Sweet, who agreed that the exchange could constitute a commercial sex act, New York Posts Page Six reports.
Value was attributed to the mere fact of meeting a world-renowned film producer.
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It is also understood that Weinstein told Noble he had a potentially career-making and life-changing role in mind for her when they met at the festival the previous year and that everything would be taken care of.
The judge applied the precedent of past civil cases of defendants who have lured women, under false pretences, with lucrative promises for sexual purposes.
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Defence lawyers argued that a trial of this nature would mean sex trafficking laws now cover all sexual activity between adults when one person holds power and influence over the other.
Weinstein denies wrongdoing and is seeking appeal.
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