Actress Accuses Harvey Weinstein Of Sex Trafficking In New Lawsuit

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A new lawsuit accuses embattled movie mogul Harvey Weinstein of sex trafficking, which could extend the statute of limitations to 10 years.

British actress Kadian Noble claims she was forced into a hotel bathroom and sexually assaulted by Weinstein in May 2014.

"I still can hear the rattle from his belt, him undoing his belt while he had grip of me," Noble said.

The 31-year-old said Weinstein approached her at the Majestic Hotel during the film festival in Cannes, France, inviting her upstairs to his room to watch her audition reel.

"It seemed like it went on forever," Noble said. "And he basically took, just completely, just touched me inappropriately and got me to put, force, my hand in places." 

Noble says she met with Weinstein in London three months before the alleged attack in France. She says Weinstein told her at the time that he had a film role in mind for her.

"Harvey was a legend, he was someone that I thought was going to make my dream a reality," Noble said. "I'm not the same person, you know. I've had to have counseling. Just so much, but I've had to keep it to myself. I've kept it to myself."

The actress says when she heard other women speaking out against Weinstein, "it felt like a dream."

"Like really has this man been identified for what he's doing?" she said.

Noble is suing Weinstein, his brother Bob and The Weinstein Company for damages.

According to the complaint, as Noble fought back Weinstein told her, "Everything will be taken care of for you if you relax."

"Harvey wasn't acting alone. Harvey wasn't allowed and enabled to do what he did to Kadian and other women without help," Jeff Herman is noble's attorney.

The federal lawsuit claims Weinstein engaged in sex trafficking by traveling from the U.S. to London and France where the alleged assault took place.

"The law essentially says that if a U.S. citizen goes to another country and, by use of force, coercion, fraud, entices and causes a person to engage in a commercial sex act, that that violates this law," Herman said.

A "commercial sex act" meaning any quid pro quo, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported.

"By using this sex trafficking law you could extend the statute of limitations for a civil suit to 10 years," said CBS News legal analyst Rikki Klieman. "So, it's a very creative use of the sex trafficking law."

A spokeswoman for Weinstein said Monday that he "denies allegations of non-consensual sex" and "has further confirmed that there were never any acts of retaliation against any women for refusing his advances."