Harvey Weinstein hired ex-Mossad agents to collect dirt on his victims

In what turned out to be a futile attempt to avoid his downfall, Harvey Weinstein hired an army of spies to target women accusing him of sexual assault or harassment and the journalists trying to report on their claims. Around a year ago, Weinstein employed private security agencies — including Black Cube, which is run by former agents of Israel's Mossad spy agency — to try to suppress the allegations. Agents met with actresses and journalists under false pretenses, including one who met with Rose McGowan several times, claiming to be a women's rights advocate. Weinstein supervised efforts to target dozens of individuals, and compile psychological profiles that sometimes focused on their personal or sexual histories. Weinstein also spoke to current and former employees to try and identify people who might speak out against him, and enlisted the help of journalists and allies including Dylan Howard at National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc. to try to discredit accusers. Some of the women targeted say the use of private security agencies made it even tougher to speak out against the powerful producer. "Ex-Mossad operatives? The biggest international security firms in the world on your case?? And these women STILL spoke up!!," tweeted Anthony Bourdain, partner of Weinstein accuser Asia Argento, adding that Howard is "beneath whale s---."