Jean-Claude Van Damme has denied accusations he knowingly engaged in sexual relations with girls trafficked by a legal group.
The motion movie star, whose credit embody Avenue Fighter and Bloodsport, has spoken out after reportedly discovering himself the topic of legal fees in Romania over the claims.
Final week, it was alleged that Van Damme acquired 5 Romanian girls as a “reward” from a bunch of traffickers whereas in Cannes, France – however the actor’s agent has hit again on the “unfounded” claims.
“We have now turn out to be conscious of articles alleging an alleged affair in Cannes involving Mr Jean-Claude Van Damme,” Patrick Goavec stated in a press release.
He informed People: “The reported information are each grotesque and non-existent. Mr Van Damme doesn’t want to remark or gas this hearsay, which is as absurd as it’s unfounded.”
The information initially surfaced after a report by the native CNN affiliate Antena 3, who alleged {that a} legal grievance had been filed with the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT).
In line with the outlet, DIICOT launched their investigation after a lady allegedly witnessed the incident at an occasion organised by Van Damme and shared what she claimed she had seen with prosecutors.
Antena 3 quotesattorney Adrian Cuculis, who’s representing one of many alleged victims, as saying that “a number of Romanians who’re at the moment being investigated for forming a legal group and pimping, allegedly supplied Jean-Claude Van Damme five Romanian women – photo models in Romania – for him to have sexual relations with”.
Cuculis added that “the person who received those benefits knew their condition,” and that the women “were in a state of vulnerability, with the suspicion that they were exploited within the meaning of Article 182 of the Criminal Code”.
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Antena 3 was additionally informed the alleged incident is a component of a bigger investigation by the Romanian Prosecutor’s Workplace into human trafficking, and the trafficking of minors, that has been carried out since 2020.
Former bodybuilder Van Damme made his huge break into motion movies within the Nineteen Eighties, and led cult martial arts movie Bloodsport in 1988. His different credit embody Kickboxer, Double Affect, Common Soldier, Timecop, Avenue Fighter, and Sudden Dying.
Extra just lately, he has performed a villainous function in The Expendables 2 and supplied voice work for the 2022 household movie Minions: The Rise of Gru.
In 2021, a director for the sitcom Pals stated Van Damme was “unprepared and smug” throughout his visitor look on the present.
He starred as himself within the second season episode “The One After the Tremendous Bowl,” wherein he was romantically pursued by each Monica (Courteney Cox) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston).
Whereas he hasn’t responded to director Michael Lembeck’s feedback, Van Damme informed the New York Post in 2023 that he was “ashamed” of his performing within the episode.
“My performing is so unhealthy…. I’m ashamed of myself,” stated Van Damme. “So then I used to be on the set, and people ladies, they go they usually kiss me they usually kiss me on the lips. I didn’t know what to do, methods to do … It was unusual. They had been very good.”
He added he knew little in regards to the hit sitcom, saying: “I didn’t know a lot in regards to the present. So after I go to the present, I see these two stunning ladies they usually say that is the most popular present proper now on the planet. So I used to be very glad.”
Van Damme has been married 5 occasions – twice to feminine bodybuilder Gladys Portugues in 1987 and, after divorcing in 1992, once more in 1999. They’re nonetheless collectively now. The actor has three youngsters.
