Harvey Weinstein’s retrial on rape and sexual assault charges began Wednesday in New York, with prosecutors introducing new claims from former model Kaja Sokola — the first time she has been publicly named in criminal proceedings.

The 73-year-old disgraced movie mogul, whose 2020 conviction was overturned by New York’s highest court last year due to the admission of prejudicial testimony, now faces three charges: a criminal sex act involving Sokola, another involving former production assistant Miriam Haley in 2006, and third-degree rape of aspiring actor Jessica Mann in 2013. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutors say Sokola met Weinstein in 2002 when she was 16 and new to New York on a modelling trip. She alleges he groped her that year and later forcibly performed oral sex on her in 2006 in his hotel room. Despite the assaults, Sokola stayed in touch with Weinstein, prosecutors say, as he promised to help her acting career.

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“He choreographed their silence,” prosecutor Shannon Lucey told jurors, emphasizing Weinstein’s powerful influence in the entertainment industry. She argued that Sokola’s continued contact with Weinstein reflected the coercive dynamics, not consent.

Defence lawyer Arthur Aidala pushed back, claiming the interactions were consensual and part of a long-standing industry culture. “The casting couch is not a crime scene,” he told jurors, accusing the women of trying to benefit from Weinstein’s fame.

The retrial comes at a quieter moment for the #MeToo movement, which exploded in 2017 after multiple women accused Weinstein of misconduct. Sokola’s lawyer called the retrial “a signal to other survivors” to speak out.

Testimony began with Weinstein’s former assistant recounting his high-profile meetings and confirming contact with accuser Haley in 2006. Weinstein, now using a wheelchair, watched proceedings without addressing the court.

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