'Scrubs' producer arrested again on sexual assault allegations

Hollywood writer and producer Eric Weinberg was arrested again on Tuesday after he was accused of sexually assaulting five women.

According to the district attorney's office, Weinberg 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.

On the same day as his arrest, Weinberg, 62, was released on a $5 million bond. His arraignment was scheduled for October 25.

The five female victims claimed that Weinberg used his Hollywood influence to lure them to his Los Angeles home on the pretense of a professional photo shoot. When the women arrived at the residence, they alleged that Weinberg forced them to perform sexual acts.

The Los Angeles Police Department reported that Weinberg allegedly targeted women in "grocery stores, coffee shops, and other public places."

In a news conference on Wednesday, District Attorney George Gascón stated that the alleged attacks occurred between 2014 and 2019, but investigators believe there may be additional victims that have yet to come forward.

The investigation is still ongoing.

"The defendant relied on his Hollywood credentials to lure young women for photo shoots where he allegedly sexually assaulted them," Gascón said. "Power and influence can corrupt some to hurt others, that often leads to a lifetime of trauma for those who are victimized."

Police confirmed they had identified at least eight alleged victims. Since Weinberg's arrest, authorities said dozens of additional potential victims have reached out to law enforcement, according to KTLA.

Gascón stated that this is not the first time Weinberg has been investigated for sexual assault allegations. He was previously arrested in July on similar charges, but Gascón said the DA's office lacked sufficient evidence to file charges.

Eric Weinberg was the co-executive producer of popular television shows, including "Scrubs," "Anger Management," "Veronica's Closet," and "Californication," according to IMDb. He also has writer credits on nearly 100 episodes of "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher" from 1994 to 2002.

Weinberg's agent did not immediately reply to a request for comment, reported the Associated Press.