Actor Accused of Sexual Assault by 3 Women

Police investigate Danny Masterson amid reports of Scientology cover-up
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 4, 2017 2:46 PM CST
3 Women Accuse Actor Danny Masterson of Sexual Assault
Los Angeles police are investigating after three women reported being sexually assaulted by actor Danny Masterson in the early 2000s.   (Photo by Annie I. Bang/Invision/AP, File)

Police announced Friday they're investigating sexual assault allegations against Danny Masterson, and there are reports of a Church of Scientology cover-up. Three women say the That 70s Show actor assaulted them during the early 2000s, Reuters reports. According to the Hollywood Reporter, an anti-Scientology website claims at least one of the victims came forward with the allegations after being inspired by actress Leah Remini's TV show Scientology and the Aftermath. The site accuses the Church of Scientology of pressuring witnesses and victims in order to cover-up the assaults when they happened, Rolling Stone reports. It also says the LAPD "bungled" an initial investigation into one of the assaults.

One of the assault allegations comes from Masterson's ex-girlfriend. Another comes from a woman who says she was assaulted by the actor during a party at his house. Masterson, who is a Scientologist, and his representatives say the allegations against him are false. His reps say Masterson's former girlfriend continued to date him after the alleged abuse and police already investigated another allegation and found nothing. Masterson is currently starring in The Ranch on Netflix. (More Scientology stories.)

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