Terry Richardson: The shocking list of sexual allegations facing the fashion photographer

Vogue, GQ and Vanity Fair publisher Conde Nast International has allegedly severed ties with him

Niamh McIntyre
Friday 27 October 2017 00:08 BST

Related video: New grant helps tackle sexual assault kit backlog

Earlier this week it emerged that Conde Nast - which publishes high-fashion magazines Vogue and Vanity Fair - would no longer publish fashion photographer Terry Richardson’s work, after fresh scrutiny of years of sexual assault and harassment allegations made against him.

An email circulated among the media group reportedly said work already commissioned from the 52-year-old should be “killed or substituted with other material”.

Conde Nast US - which is separate from its international brand - confirmed to TIME magazine that it would no longer be working with Mr Richardson.

A spokeswoman for Richardson said he denied any allegations of assault and was "disappointed to hear about this email especially because he has previously addressed these old stories".

“He is an artist who has been known for his sexually explicit work so many of his professional interactions with subjects were sexual and explicit in nature but all of the subjects of his work participated consensually.”

Lady Gaga writhes around naked in the leaked music video for 'Do What U Want', directed by Terry Richardson

Many of the allegations relate to incidents years ago, but have resurfaced in the wake of the revelations over Harvey Weinstein’s widespread alleged sexual abuse of women in the film industry.

A complete list of the allegations made against the photographer was compiled by Marie Claire Australia.

Liskula Cohen, 2001

Model Liskula Cohen told Girlie Girl Army she had walked off a fashion shoot because Mr Richardson had "made her feel like a prostitute".

"This monster has brought me so much unhappiness in my life from one photo shoot. You may think that is crazy, but it’s true."

Ms Cohen also said she would never work with him again: "Not even if it was a zillion dollar contract with security guards and my own mother present."

Gabriela Johansson, 2005

Photographs of the Romanian model appeared in an exhibition of Mr Richardson's work entitled "Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture", but Ms Johansson later claimed she was pressured to pose naked under the premise of getting a modelling job.

In 2005, she sued him for fraud, misappropriation, invasion of privacy, breach of contact, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The case was reportedly settled out of court.

Coco Rocha, 2007

Coco Rocha is another model who has publicly vowed never to work with the photographer again, after she worked with him on a graphic shoot depicting her spitting a jet of milk out of her mouth.

Anna, 2008

In 2014, Jezebel published an account of alleged sexual assault made by a stylist from New York, who wished to withhold her surname.

Anna said she met the photographer at a restaurant opening, where he invited her back to his apartment for an impromptu photo shoot.

"I felt a dick pressing into the side of my face. Terry Richardson's semi-hard penis was plunged into the outside of my cheek, and he was jabbing it into my face", she wrote in the testimony.

"[Terry's assistant] giggled, and muttered something to the effect of the, "Isn't this fun?!" He pressed it to my lips. He clearly wanted a blow job and wanted it documented on camera."

Sena Cech, 2009

 

Remember that the best thing about you is you! #tuesdaymotivation #youbeyou #lifestyle #fitlife @lululemon #gabrielajohansson

A post shared by Gabriela Johansson (@gabbyoltean) on

Model Sena Cech, who was 19 at the time she worked with Mr Richardson, said he was "the first and only photographer I had known to get naked at a casting".

In a statement to Buzzfeed, Ms Cech alleged the photographer's assistant asked her to grab Mr Richardson's penis. 

"I was worried about getting dirty and about hurting Richardson, but he just pushed his penis into my hand and I halfheartedly twisted it and pulled it for a few pictures.

"Then I asked if they had the shot and went to wash my hands and get dressed.

"I did not instigate the penis twisting, nudity or any kind of sexual touching. The experience was not consensual. It was revolting and humiliating."

Rie Rasmussen, 2010

 

Remember that the best thing about you is you! #tuesdaymotivation #youbeyou #lifestyle #fitlife @lululemon #gabrielajohansson

A post shared by Gabriela Johansson (@gabbyoltean) on

After a photograph of her appeared in the highly explicit book Terryworld, the model reportedly confronted Mr Richardson at a fashion event in Paris, telling him his work "completely degraded women".

According to Ms Rasmussen, he ran way, later complaining to her agency about her behaviour. "It was the most cowardly thing I have ever seen,” she told Page Six.

Jamie Peck, 2010

 

I got a haircut. I asked for #berniebangs

A post shared by Jamie Peck (@jamiepeck666) on

In an article for The Gloss, amateur model Jamie Peck alleged that the photographer asked her to take out her tampon to “make tea” during a photoshoot.

On a separate photoshoot she alleges he pressured her into performing sexual acts. 

"I’m not sure how he manoeuvred me over to the couch, but at some point he strongly suggested I touch his terrifying penis", Ms Peck wrote.

"Either the man’s totally delusional, or he gets off on the fact that many of these things are not, in fact, very much fun for the girls."

Charlotte Waters, 2014

Charlotte Waters was 19 when she modelled for Mr Richardson, having taken up nude modelling to pay her way through university. 

Ms Waters told Vocativ she stopped nude modelling as a result of the alleged sexual assault during the shoot. 

"He told me to perform oral sex on him. He started aggressively kissing me. I don’t even really remember what specific things were happening at that point, but he was directing everything," she wrote in her account.

"He said 'OK, squeeze my balls,' 'OK, put my dick in your mouth,' 'OK, now kiss me.”'It wasn’t intimate. He also straddled me and started jerking off on my face."

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