Jamie Foxx Is Denying Claims That He Sexually Assaulted A Woman At A Party 16 Years Ago

Early on the morning of Wednesday, June 13, TMZ reported that Jamie Foxx has been accused of sexual assault. The alleged incident took place 16 years ago, according to TMZ, but the woman reportedly came forward with accusations last week. Specifically, she's claiming that the actor allegedly struck her in the face with his penis after she refused to perform oral sex on him at a party. Per a statement Bustle received from his attorney, Foxx adamantly denies these claims, even calling them "absurd." (Full statement below.)

UPDATE: The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department's Office of Public Information told Bustle via email on Wednesday afternoon:

"On June 8, 2018 a female victim came to the LVMPD and alleged that a sexual assault occurred in the Las Vegas area in 2002 and named [Jamie] Foxx as the suspect. A report was taken and the incident will be investigated. Due to the nature of the crime, no further details can be released."

EARLIER: The alleged incident reportedly took place in Las Vegas during a party at Fox's home in 2002, per TMZ. The woman also claims one of the actor's friends made her leave the house afterward. She reportedly went to the hospital the following day to be treated after experiencing a "severe panic attack," TMZ reported. Law enforcement officers told TMZ that the woman spoke to police last week, and the case is reportedly listed as an "open investigation" for the Las Vegas Police Department. (Bustle reached out to the Las Vegas PD's Public Information Office for comment and more information, but did not receive an immediate response.)

According to TMZ, Foxx's attorney, Allison Hart, said the incident in question never happened and that they plan to file a countersuit. In a similar statement to Bustle via email, Hart said:

"Jamie Foxx emphatically denies that this incident ever occurred, and he will be filing a report with the Las Vegas Police Department against the woman for filing a false police report against him. The first time Mr. Foxx became aware of this woman’s absurd claims about an incident that supposedly occurred sixteen years ago was when TMZ contacted his representatives today about this story. The alleged incident was not reported to law enforcement in 2002, or at any other time in the last sixteen years until last Friday because the incident never happened. We consider it to be extraordinarily reckless for any publication to publish this bogus story."

While the statement references the alleged 16-year timeline, TMZ reported that the woman was inspired to speak out now because of the recent spotlight on the #MeToo movement. While the #MeToo movement was started more than a decade ago by Tarana Burke, it picked up steam in Hollywood last fall. Ever since The New York Times and The New Yorker published exposés about Harvey Weinstein in October 2017, there has been a cultural shift where women and men have come forward with accusations of sexual assault, harassment, and misconduct against some of the industry's biggest names — in Hollywood, politics, and beyond. (In May, Weinstein was indicted on rape charges and pleaded not guilty. He has repeatedly denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex.)

It's unclear if Foxx will comment further on the accusations beyond his attorney's denial. While the actor is quite active on Instagram and Twitter — usually promoting his latest projects — he has not posted since the claims came out early Wednesday.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org.