Fashion Photographer Bruce Weber Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Two Male Models, Jason Boyce & Mark Ricketson

Fashion photographer Bruce Weber has been accused of forcefully touching and kissing male models Jason Boyce and Mark Ricketson.

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY BRUCE WEBER ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

Boyce, 28, described that Weber, now 71, made him touch his own genitals and suck on his fingers during a strange casting interview. Boyce said the incident occurred in the photographer’s Manhattan studio. The incident involving Boyce occurred in 2014, while the one Ricketson describes happened in 2015 or 2016.

According to Boyce’s account, Weber closed the door to the studio when he arrived, so that the two were alone. Boyce is now suing the photographer. “Mr. Boyce, who had been photographed numerous times in the past, was then subjected to a series of practices by Mr. Weber that were unlike any he had experienced previously,” the lawsuit reads.

After taking some photos, Weber allegedly straddled Boyce and rubbed oil onto his forehead, after telling him, “You’re very tense.” Ricketson, 31, came forward after Boyce with his shockingly similar story. “He…took my hand and told me to ‘find the energy’ by guiding my hand and rubbing it on one of three places – my forehead, chest or my stomach,” he described. “Each time the ‘energy’ in my stomach would get lower and lower until I had to navigate the remaining space left before having to touch myself. I felt ashamed and embarrassed.”

Court papers from Boyce’s testimony continue: “Mr. Weber then instructed Mr. Boyce to stand up for more photographs.” Weber then reportedly ordered the model to remove his shirt and pants, thought common practice is to inform the models that they will be asked to shoot nude or semi-nude photos in advance. Weber was an extremely influential photographer in the industry, so Boyce claims he obeyed because of Weber’s power.

According to the suit, Weber then took Boyce’s hand and placed it on his own chest, before slowly moving it down to his genitals. “Mr. Weber grabbed Mr. Boyce’s arm, and moved it back and forth, so that Mr. Boyce was forced to rub his own genitals,” the suit claims. After this, they say that Boyce was made to put his fingers in his own mouth.

Boyce recalls being “terrified and repulsed.” Weber then allegedly asked Boyce how far he wanted to make it in the industry, and when Boyce didn’t answer he removed the model’s hand from his groin and fingers from his mouth and declared their photo shoot over. Before leaving, Weber forcibly kissed Boyce on the mouth.

“Mr. Boyce felt intense dread at the thought of a modeling career in an industry where Mr. Weber was considered by many to be a top photographer and primary champion of male models,” says the model’s agent Jason Kanner in the court papers. “He was worried that he would continue to run into Mr. Weber throughout his career. He experienced anxiety, depression, and high levels of stress.”

Boyce moved back to California and has not returned to New York for modeling work. “Upon information and belief, Mr. Weber has engaged in similar conduct with other male models referred to him by Mr. Kanner and Soul Artist, and Mr. Kanner and Soul Artist are aware of such conduct,” Boyce says.