Rehovot Criminal Affairs: Actor denies sexual harassment claims

By Roni Singer-Heruti

In his first public response to the sexual harassment complaint filed against him, actor Rami Heuberger yesterday said the allegations were "fallacious and ugly."

Heuberger's lawyer, Eithan Maoz, read a statement written by his client in which he attacked the woman's claims that were first revealed a few days ago in a story carried by the Hebrew-language daily Ma'ariv. "It's very strange how the complainant claims to have undergone a traumatic experience that caused her hallucinations and would report them only a year after she says they occurred. It is strange that she should choose to do so in a revealing story in a daily newspaper before filing a complaint," Heuberger wrote.

According to Heuberger, such behavior can only be explained by the complainant's thirst for publicity and money. He added that he plans to submit his full account to the police and not the media.

Meanwhile, Rehovot police opened an investigation into the woman's complaint, which holds that Heuberger harassed her when she worked as a make-up stylist on the set of a movie he was starring in.

Heuberger first rose to fame as a member of the television skit show Hahamishia Hakamerit. He later starred in numerous Israeli feature films, including the cult movie Mivtza Safta and even landed a small role in director Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning "Schindler's List."

Source: Roni Singer-Heruti. Actor denies sexual harassment claims. Haartez.com (4 March 2007) [FullText]