Stallone denies claim of sexual assault against teen

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Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone, one of the latest celebrities to face allegations of sexual assault, Thursday denied the claim published by an American ezine that he had sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl in 1986.

According to online entertainment magazine Deadline Hollywood, the teen reported to Las Vegas police in July 1986 that she was sexually assaulted by Stallone and his bodyguard Michael de Luca in the Las Vegas Hilton hotel, now renamed the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.

However, the matter was dropped when she declined to press charges.

The report said the teen was persuaded to go to the hotel by Stallone and de Luca after she asked for Stallone's autograph. There the two men assaulted her and threatened they would "beat her head in" if she ever told anyone.

Deadline Hollywood claimed to have obtained the 1986 police report, which noted that during her interview to the police, the teen was upset and cried. But when asked if she wanted to press charges, she declined and said she was too "humiliated and ashamed."

Sylvester Stallone /AFP Photo/Getty Images

Stallone on Thursday denied through a representative that he had sexually molested the girl 31 years ago.

"This is a ridiculous, categorically false story," the report quoted his spokesperson, Michelle Bega, as saying. "No one was ever aware of this story until it was published today, including Mr. Stallone. At no time was Mr. Stallone ever contacted by any authorities or anyone else regarding this matter."

US President Donald Trump voiced his opinion on the report Thursday, saying the matter was "pathetic!"

"It's NOT FAIR that Sylvester Stallone, Al Franken, Roy Moore, & Kevin Spacey are getting ALL THIS ATTENTION for groping & sexual harassment!" Trump tweeted.

Al Franken is a senator while Roy Moore is the well-known evangelical chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, who is contesting a special senatorial election as a Republican nominee.

After the media disclosed in October once powerful US film producer Harvey Weinstein's spate of sexual misconducts with aspiring actresses and others, more women and men have come forward with sexual assault allegations against many of Hollywood's elite.

Among the famous and powerful people facing the allegations are Oscar-winning actor Dustin Hoffman, fellow actors Kevin Spacey and Ed Westwick, and filmmaker James Toback.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency