'Scrubs' producer Eric Weinberg charged with sex assaults: district attorney

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"Scrubs" producer Eric Weinberg has been charged with sexually assaulting five women, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office. 

Weinberg was arrested on Tuesday and released on $5 million bail. The arrest comes nearly a week after he was charged with 18 felony counts including rape, oral copulation, forcible sexual penetration, sexual battery by restraint, false imprisonment by use of violence, assault by means of force likely to cause great bodily injury and attempted forcible penetration with a foreign object, according to the district attorney's office.

"The defendant relied on his Hollywood credentials to lure young women for photo shoots where he allegedly sexually assaulted them," District Attorney Gascón said, per the office’s press release. 

This undated photo provided by the Los Angeles Police Department shows TV producer Eric Weinberg who was arrested Tuesday, Oct. 4, at his residence in Los Angeles. (LAPD via AP)

"Power and influence can corrupt some to hurt others that often leads to a lifetime of trauma for those who are victimized."

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Weinberg was charged for alleged attacks between 2014 and 2019, but investigators say they believe there may be other victims of assaults dating back to the 1990s, Gascón said at a news conference.

According to the release, Weinberg allegedly approached two women, on separate occasions in 2014, and told them he was a photographer. In both instances, the women went back to his homes where he allegedly sexually assaulted them.

In 2017, Weinberg "used the same ruse" again to invite a woman back to his house and allegedly sexually assaulted her. He has also been accused of sexually assaulting two more women in 2018 and 2019, per the release.

A photo of TV producer Eric Weinberg is displayed before a news conference to announce sexual assault charges against Weinberg on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Christopher Weber)

Weinberg is expected to be arraigned on October 25. 

LAPD Detective Ryan Lamar said investigators were looking into information received from a tip line regarding possible other assaults by Weinberg.

Weinberg was previously investigated several times by police, but the DA’s office didn’t file charges for lack of evidence, Gascón said.

In 2014, Weinberg was arrested after a woman alleged that while taking photos, Weinberg assaulted her. Per the Hollywood Reporter, Weinberg allegedly removed her clothes – she only agreed to do the shoot on the condition she remained clothed – and allegedly sexually assaulted her. He also allegedly "began choking" the woman and "taking photos," per a police report. 

"After I had said no so many times, he continued doing what he wanted anyway," she told the outlet. "I didn’t know what else he was capable of, including violence. I thought there was a real possibility that I might die there."

It's unclear if the woman is one of the accusers in the new complaint.

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon, at podium stands by a photo on display of TV producer Eric Weinberg during a news conference to announce sexual assault charges on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Christopher Weber)

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In 2020, documents filed in Weinberg's divorce and child custody proceedings included allegations by three women that he sexually assaulted them during photo shoots, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Weinberg was co-executive producer on nearly 100 episodes of the NBC hospital dramedy "Scrubs" between 2000 and 2006 and also wrote nearly a dozen episodes, according to the IMDb website.

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He also was co-executive producer for "Californication" in 2007 and had producing and writing credits on other shows, including "Anger Management," "Men at Work," "Veronica's Closet" and "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher."

Weinberg received five Emmy nominations for his work on "Scrubs" and Bill Maher’s "Politically Incorrect."

If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.