Weinstein charged with offences in New York after surrendering to police
Harvey Weinstein surrendered to New York City police on charges of rape and sex abuse and appeared in court in handcuffs,
It comes months after he was toppled from Hollywood's highest ranks by scores of women accusing him of misconduct.
More than 70 women have accused the co-founder of the Miramax film studio and Weinstein Co of sexual misconduct, including rape, with some allegations dating back decades.
He has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone.
The accusations, first reported by the New York Times and the New Yorker last year, gave rise to the #MeToo movement in which hundreds of women have publicly accused powerful men in business, government and entertainment of misconduct.
Weinstein, 66, is charged with rape, sexual misconduct, sex abuse and committing a criminal sex act against two women, the New York Police Department said in a statement, which did not identify the women.
Weinstein, wearing a dark jacket over a blue sweater and white open-collared shirt and dark jeans, gave a weak smile as police officers escorted him inside a lower Manhattan police station at about 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT).
He carried thick books under his right arm, including what appeared to be biographies of the Broadway musical duo of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and Elia Kazan, the director of such classic Hollywood films as "On the Waterfront" and "A Streetcar Named Desire."
About 90 minutes later, Weinstein was led by officers into Manhattan Criminal Court in handcuffs, his head bowed and grimacing, to await an arraignment hearing.
A judge was expected to release him on bail, according to media reports.
Weinstein's spokesman Juda Engelmayer and his lawyer Benjamin Brafman both declined to comment to Reuters on Thursday on the imminent charges.
The charges followed a months-long investigation that involved the Manhattan district attorney's office.
One case involves allegations by Lucia Evans, a former aspiring actress who told the New Yorker that Weinstein forced her to give him oral sex in 2004, the Times reported.
Published: by Radio NewsHub