Jared Leto faces sexual misconduct claims from 4 women over teenage incidents

Highlights:

• 4 women accuse Jared Leto of sexual misconduct while underage
• BBC documentary features 10 women alleging assault, statutory rape, grooming.
• Claims corroborated by text messages, photos, family, and band crew.
• Leto hasn't responded to the documentary, but previously denied similar claims.

Oscar-winning actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars frontman Jared Leto has been accused of criminal sexual conduct by four women in a BBC documentary released today (29 July), with the alleged offenses occurring between 2002 and 2016 when the women were teenagers.

The claims are detailed in the documentary Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret, which features accounts from a total of 10 women alleging sexually inappropriate behaviour by the 54-year-old artist. Nine of the women shared their stories publicly for the first time, according to the broadcaster.

The incidents are alleged to have taken place when Leto was in his 30s and 40s.

According to the BBC investigation, one woman alleged that Leto sexually assaulted her in a motel bathroom when she was 17. Another claimed the actor threatened her with sexual assault when she was 19 after they were unexpectedly left alone together in a hotel room.

A third woman alleged she had sex with Leto in California at age 17, which would constitute statutory rape under state law. She stated that when she brought up California's age of consent being 18, Leto "shrugged off" the conversation.

A fourth woman accused Leto of grooming her when she was 16 through repeated sexually explicit phone calls, during which he suggested on at least one occasion that they have sex. She alleged she was later sent a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to prevent her from talking about the relationship, which she refused to sign. 

The BBC reported that it reviewed the NDA.

The BBC stated it corroborated several accounts through conversations with friends and family members who were informed of the encounters at the time. In some cases, the broadcaster said it reviewed photographs and messages supporting the women's claims.

The documentary also features statements from two former crew members of Thirty Seconds to Mars, who said staff felt uncomfortable with Leto's conduct. They alleged he frequently invited teenage girls backstage to his dressing room and to locations where he was recording.

Response and Previous Claims

The BBC said it made repeated attempts to contact Leto for comment but received no response regarding the documentary's allegations.

However, Leto previously denied similar allegations published last year by US media outlet Air Mail, where nine women accused him of sexual impropriety. Separately, American DJ Allie Teilz alleged on social media last year that Leto assaulted her when she was 17.

None of the allegations have resulted in criminal charges to date, and no court has made a legal ruling on the claims.

Leto rose to prominence in the 1990s with roles in Fight Club, The Thin Red Line, and Girl, Interrupted. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Dallas Buyers Club (2013) and has starred in blockbusters including Suicide Squad, Blade Runner 2049, and Masters of the Universe.