A SPY who was hired by Harvey Weinstein to probe the producer's accusers has defended covertly trailing 91 Hollywood figures.
Seth Freedman, who was working for private intelligence agency Black Cube, was sent on a mission to gather information on those connected to to sexual abuse allegations, including Rose McGowan.
Posing as a journalist, Freedman contacted high-profile people involved in making allegations against Weinsein to extract information.
In a , he said he was working on an article about Hollywood to convince people to speak to him.
He said: “I don't feel guilty about anything I did for Black Cube.
“I mean, as far as I'm concerned if you're an actress who works in Hollywood and a reporter calls you and you decide to talk to them, that's pretty run of the mill.
“I think the problem with how toxic this debate is over the Weinstein case is that if you say anything that sounds like you're dissenting from the #MeToo narrative, therefore you're on his side and you support him.
“I don't know the guy, I couldn't really care less one way or the other what happens to him."
As long as I stay within the letter of the law I'm not worried about your ethics when you judge me
Seth Freedman, former Black Cube investigator
Weinstein had tasked Black Cube with two primary objectives in July 2017.
The first was to "provide intelligence which will help the Client's efforts to completely stop the publication of a new, negative article in a leading NY newspaper".
The second was to "obtain additional content of a book which is currently being written and which includes harmful negative information on and about the Client".
To achieve this a dedicated team was formed, including Freedman, after ex-Israeli premier Ehud Barak allegedly put Weinstein's lawyers in touch with them.
He added: "My job is to get a piece of information that isn't freely available and as long as I stay within the letter of the law I'm not worried about your ethics when you judge me."
Freedman, who was unmasked by real journalist Ronan Farrow, was speaking out as the jury selection in the rape and sexual assault trial entered its second week.
Freedman no longer works for the firm. He denies he was ever involved in any "intimidation, silencing and harassing".
McGowan was one of the first women to make public allegations about Weinstein's abuse, triggering his downfall in 2017, which in turn paved the way for the #MeToo movement.
Last week she accused accused him of faking his need for a walking frame to get to court, saying he "just wants sympathy".
Weinstein, 67, denies charges of assaulting two women, and faces life in prison if convicted.
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