The lateAnthony Bourdainhad a whirlwind relationship with hisgirlfriend Asia Argento, who has now been accused ofsexually assaulting 22-year-old actor Jimmy Bennettwhen he was 17.
In a new statement responding to theNew York Timesreport, the actress denies any sexual contact and saysBourdain was the one who paid Bennett off.
Instead, Agento says the two only had a friendship which ended last fall when Bennett “unexpectedly made an exorbitant request of money from me” following her public accusation of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein. The actress says Bennett reached out knowing her boyfriend Bourdain was “a man of great perceived wealth” and the late chef decided to handle the matter quietly.
“She’s a really accomplished director and writer along with being a longtime actress and a real sponge for culture, music, literature,” Bourdain toldPEOPLE in 2017. “She’s enormously helpful and inspiring.”
RELATED VIDEO: Asia Argento, Who Accused Harvey Weinstein of Rape, Allegedly Paid Off Male Accuser: Report
His love for her was evident among the people who worked with him. “He would rave about Rome, where his girlfriend lived,” Bourdain’s longtime photographer David Holloway told PEOPLE. “He would say it’s an amazing city to fall in love in.”
Bourdain himself admitted he was lighter around Argento. “Oh, yeah. I’m happier for sure,” he said. “It’s nice to be with somebody who I see as a peer.”
Asia Argento/Instagram
However, their relationship alsocaused some concern among Bourdain’s friends, a source told PEOPLE in June following his death.
“Like a teenage boy, [he was] just absolutely lovestruck,” the insider told PEOPLE of Bourdain’s feelings for Argento. “He would have done anything for her, and that was a little red flag for some of his friends.”
While dating the actress, Bourdain was estranged from his wife Ottavia Busia but the two had never finalized their divorce. In February, though he told PEOPLEhe would never marry Argento, he said he “wouldn’t hate” moving in with her.
“Look, I like being around her as much as possible,” he said.
“She’s like me, in a lot of ways. We’ve both been married twice,” he added. “So that’s not something that’s ever, ever going to happen. That’s the death of everything. I think we both respect each other’s work. Nobody’s ever going to say, ‘Oh, but you promised we were going to go to the beach.’ No, you know, you get a gig, that’s it. That’s it. Nothing else matters. Work first.”
In one of Bourdain’s final interviewsbefore his death, the chef reflected on a low point intheir relationship.
“I do not need to win,” Bourdain explained to writer Maria Bustillos. “I am not a competitive person. I need to survive.”
source: people.com
