By IANS
New York : Indian-born fashion designer Anand Jon, held in a Los Angeles jail in lieu of a $2.1 million bail on charges of raping or sexually assaulting 20 young aspiring models, has been indicted in New York too.
A 40-count indictment for similar offences against nine more women was handed up Tuesday against Jon, 33, who has denied the charges and claimed some of the women made the allegations to seek fame.
Charges against Jon in New York range from first-degree forcible rape to the rape of a minor, or someone under age 17, the New York Post said citing sources.
Jon also was slapped with raps for intimidating a victim or witness, they said.
The alleged attacks took place between November 2002 and September 2006. No other details were available because the indictment was sealed, the daily said.
A Los Angeles judge had Nov 8 set a $2.1 million bail for Jon, but the New York district attorney has sent an arrest warrant seeking his continued detention even if he posts the bail, the prosecutors said.
He is due back in Los Angeles court on Dec 6 for a pre-trial hearing.
Jon was indicted Sep 27 by a Los Angeles County grand jury on 54 felony charges and five misdemeanour counts, including rape, sexual battery by restraint and lewd acts upon a minor. He was jailed without bail when the indictment was unsealed Oct 4.
The India-born designer has worked with celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Michelle Rodriguez and Mary J. Blige.
According to Jon’s website, he was a judge for the Miss India beauty pageant in 2002 and was selected by Newsweek as one of the most successful South Asians in the world in 2004. He was profiled on the TV show “America’s Next Top Model” in 2003.