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Author:
Jimmy S.
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Date Posted: 21:06:47 05/20/09 Wed
Claire Robinson was 2x in Miss Universe Canada - 2003 and 2004, placing in the top 15 in 2004.
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Former British Columbia beauty queen sues top agency, alleges sexual battery
By Anthony Mccartney, The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - A former British Columbia beauty queen has sued International Creative Management, claiming the firm and one of its top talent agents subjected her to unwanted sexual advances.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Claire Robinson alleges ICM and agent Jack Gilardi exploited the former Miss British Columbia and that she was sent to auditions for roles that didn't exist or weren't available to her. She alleges that one of Gilardi's friends, John Rockwell, introduced her to the agent and in 2008 threatened and raped her.
The talent agency denies Robinson's allegations. A phone message left Tuesday for Rockwell, who isn't affiliated with ICM, wasn't returned.
"ICM denies any and all wrongdoing," said Michelle Suess, an agency spokeswoman. "Ms. Robinson's allegations are completely baseless and ICM will vigorously defend this action."
The class-action lawsuit also seeks to end a practice it calls "hip pocketing," in which an agent claims they will represent a person but never actually takes them as a client. The lawsuit claims the practice at ICM led to the sexual exploitation of Robinson and others who were sent on fake auditions.
Robinson's suit also claims that Gilardi inappropriately touched her while en route in an ICM limousine to a stuntmen awards show in 2007.
The lawsuit seeks millions in damages and a judge's order to end "hip pocketing" at ICM, which the suit claims has been going on for years.
While it is the practice of many media outlets not to publish the names of alleged sexual assault victims, Robinson's lawyer says his client has made a conscious decision to identify herself.
Lawyer Perry Wander told The Canadian Press in a telephone interview from Beverly Hills, Calif., that Robinson wants to help protect other women who may come to Hollywood.
Wander says Robinson currently lives in Vancouver, has "pretty much abandoned" her modelling career, and is set to enrol at university in the fall.
ICM represents some of the entertainment industry's biggest names, including Chris Rock and Beyonce Knowles. Gilardi, who was married to actress Annette Funicello, has represented actors such as James Caan, Charlton Heston and Burt Reynolds.
Attorneys for Robinson, 23, say they're hoping to find women who may have received similar treatment within the past four years. Robinson's suit claims her career was irreparably damaged by ICM and Rockwell's alleged actions and that she suffered a nervous breakdown as a result.
Besides fraud, negligent supervision and a sexual battery claim against Rockwell, the suit seeks civil damages against ICM under a legal procedure often reserved for the mob or gangs.
The suit wants to designate the talent agency under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, also known as RICO. If a judge allows that claim, Robinson's attorneys, Wander and Mitch Kalcheim, say they intend to seek triple the amount of Robinson's actual damages. They're also seeking 10 per cent of ICM's gross earnings for one year as punitive damages if Robinson's lawsuit succeeds.
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