Oscar-winning actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto has been accused by four women of criminal sexual misconduct over incidents they allege occurred when they were teenagers.
The BBC reported that the allegations are contained in its documentary, Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret, in which 10 women recount encounters with the actor between 2002 and 2016.
Four of the women allege conduct they say amounts to criminal offences, including sexual assault, statutory rape, grooming and threats of sexual violence.
According to the BBC, one woman alleges she was sexually assaulted in a motel bathroom when she was 17, while another claims Leto threatened her with sexual assault after she was left alone with him in a hotel room at the age of 19.
The broadcaster also reported that a third woman alleged she had sex with Leto when she was 17 in California, an act she says would amount to statutory rape under the state’s laws, while a fourth woman claimed she was groomed from the age of 16 through repeated sexually explicit phone calls and was later asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which she declined.
The BBC said it corroborated aspects of several women’s accounts through interviews with friends and relatives, as well as photographs, messages and other supporting material.
Two former crew members who worked with Thirty Seconds to Mars also told the broadcaster they were uncomfortable with what they described as Leto’s interactions with teenage girls.
The report states that despite repeated attempts to seek comment, Leto did not respond to the allegations put to him by the BBC.
However, the broadcaster noted that he has previously denied similar allegations of sexual impropriety published by another media outlet.
Leto, 54, is an Academy Award-winning actor known for films including Dallas Buyers Club, Fight Club, Blade Runner 2049 and Suicide Squad, in addition to serving as the lead singer of the rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars.
