SignalHub-Fashion photographer Terry Richardson accused of sexual assault in new lawsuit

Terry Richardson,SignalHub the provocative fashion photographer who has faced sexual misconduct allegations in the #MeToo era, is being accused again of sexual assault, this time in a lawsuit by a former model.

Spanish model Minerva Portillo is suing Richardson, Trump Model Management and Annie Veltri, who came on board as president of the agency when it was called T Management, among others.

Portillo alleges Richardson, who has largely retreated from the public eye following multiple accusations of sexual assault, "sexually assaulted her in front of his employees," she says in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in New York and obtained by USA TODAY.

Portillo also alleges she was given a drink she believed contained "an intoxicating or narcotic substance," and afterward Richardson took photos of her on set before assaulting her, groping her breasts and forcing her to perform oral sex, as well as posing in photos next to her while erect, according to the suit. She claims Richardson and his employees "photographed the assault while it was happening."

Known to models as "Uncle Terry," Richardson has been infamous since the 1990s for "an almost soft-porn aesthetic" featuring nudity, innuendo and simulated sex acts, according to The Guardian.

Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" video, which Richardson directed, showed her on a giant wrecking ball naked except for a pair of Dr. Martens. He has photographed notables such as former President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey, snapped layouts for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and GQ, and directed videos for Beyoncé.

"There is a difference between provocative – but consensually made – art, and sexual assault," said Portillo's attorney, Christine Dunn. "Ms. Portillo alleges that this was the latter, and Mr. Richardson did not have the rights to distribute the images."

In 2017, Richardson was banned from further assignments for British Vogue and other major magazines, Condé Nast Britain confirmed at the time.

In response to the ban, a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly at the time told USA TODAY Richardson denied any non-consensual interactions with models. 

"Terry is disappointed to hear about this email especially because he has previously addressed these old stories. He is an artist who has been known for his sexually explicit work, so many of his professional interactions with subjects were sexual and explicit in nature but all of the subjects of his work participated consensually."

Portillo previously spoke publicly about her allegations in November 2017 to Spanish Vogue.

Terry Richardson:'Sexually explicit' fashion photographer banned by British Vogue

What is the Adult Survivors Act?

The complaint was filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which has given victims of sexual abuse a one-year window for claims that would otherwise be barred by time limits. It is set to expire after Thanksgiving.

"This case is exactly what the Adult Survivors Act is intended for," Guentert said. "Like many survivors of sexual assault, Ms. Portillo was not able to publicly speak about her experiences for many years. This law enables her to hold individuals and companies responsible for the trauma she endured."

Jamie Foxx, Diddy, Axl Rose, more face sexual assault allegations in recent lawsuits

In recent days leading up to the Adult Survivors Act deadline, Jamie Foxx, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Diddy's former Bad Boy president Harve Pierre, Axl Rose, Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine and Cuba Gooding Jr. have all been sued for sexual assault.

On Nov. 17, Cassandra Ventura, known professionally as singer Cassie, filed a sex trafficking and sexual assault lawsuit against her former partner Combs in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY.

The singer was also suing Combs' companies Bad Boy Entertainment, Bad Boy Records, Combs Enterprises, LLC, as well as Epic Records.

The complaint alleged that Cassie, who began a professional and sexual relationship with the rap mogul when she was 19, was trafficked, raped and viciously beaten by Combs over the course of a decade. A day after the filing, both parties announced they reached a settlement in the case.

Read more:Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Cassie settle bombshell lawsuit alleging rape, abuse, sex trafficking

On Wednesday, many more lawsuits came to light.

Bad Boy Entertainment and its former president, Pierre, were sued for negligence and sexual assault. Pierre, who has been with Diddy's company since its inception in 1993, was accused by a former employee — referred to as Jane Doe — of using "his position of authority as plaintiff’s boss to groom, exploit, and sexually assault her," according to a complaint obtained by USA TODAY on Wednesday. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in New York Supreme Court.

Interscope Records co-founder Iovine was accused of sexual abuse in a summons filed in a Manhattan court Wednesday.

The plaintiff, under the name Jane Doe, alleged in the court documents filed in New York County Supreme Court, which were reviewed by USA TODAY, that she was "sexually abused, forcibly touched, and subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation" in incidents around August 2007. The full complaint will be filed at a later date.

Gooding Jr. was sued by two women − Jasmine Abbay and Kelsey Harbet − who have previously brought criminal charges against the actor in two separate lawsuits filed Wednesday in the New York Supreme Court, according to documents obtained by USA TODAY.

They are suing him for sexual assault and battery.

Abbay and Harbert, who've both alleged sexual misconduct by Gooding in past encounters, claim the actor's behavior was "malicious, willful (and) outrageous."

Guns N' Roses frontman Rose was sued for sexual assault stemming from an incident in 1989.

Former Penthouse model Sheila Kennedy filed a civil lawsuit against the rocker Wednesday with the New York County Supreme Court, alleging that Rose "used his fame, status, and power as a celebrity and performer in the music industry to gain access to manipulate, control, and violently sexually assault Kennedy" at his hotel room in New York City after meeting at a nightclub party.

On Wednesday, too, Foxx was sued for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman at a rooftop bar in New York City in 2015.

An unnamed woman accused the 55-year-old Oscar-winning actor of sexual assault and battery during an interaction in August 2015, according to the lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Court, obtained by USA TODAY. She filed anonymously as Jane Doe.

After Jane Doe's friend asked Foxx for a photograph at Catch NYC's rooftop bar, Catch Roof, he allegedly made comments to Jane Doe such as "Wow, you have that supermodel body," according to the complaint. She says Foxx, whom she claims was intoxicated, then grabbed her "by her arm and pulled her to the back area of the rooftop," where he allegedly "placed both of his hands" on her waist, moved them under her crop top and "began rubbing her breasts."

Jamie Foxxaccused of 2015 sexual assault at a rooftop bar in new lawsuit

Contributing: Maria Puente, KiMi Robinson, Edward Segarra, Charles Trepany, and Naledi Ushe