Armie Hammer under investigation following rape accusations

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Armie Hammer is under investigation after being accused of rape, Los Angeles Police Department officials have confirmed.

The Call Me By Your Name actor is alleged to have subjected a woman, known only as Effie, to a four-hour ordeal in 2017 and, after the 24-year-old came forward to detail her allegations on Thursday, officers have confirmed the 34-year-old star is the suspect in an investigation which was opened on Feb. 3.

During a press conference alongside her lawyer, Gloria Allred, Effie accused Hammer of “mentally, emotionally, and sexually abusing” her during a four-year on/off relationship, during which the actor was still married to Elizabeth Chambers.

Effie alleges she met Hammer on Facebook when she was 20 and admitted to falling in love with the actor, although she now believes she fell victim to “manipulation tactics.”

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However, Hammer has already denied the allegations made against him and his lawyer has provided screenshots of alleged text conversations between him and Effie, which seemingly suggest he told her they couldn’t pursue a relationship, though these are not verified.

In one message, Hammer allegedly told Effie: “I am not going to be able to engage in you in that specific way right now. It never ends well. We can talk and be friends, but I can’t do that.”

The actor’s lawyer also said Hammer’s encounter with Effie was “completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory.”

In a statement, the lawyer said: “It was never Mr. Hammer’s intention to embarrass or expose (Effie’s) fetishes or kinky sexual desires, but she has now escalated this matter to another level by hiring a civil lawyer to host a public press conference. With the truth on his side, Mr. Hammer welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight.”

Effie’s allegations come after an Instagram account named House of Effie sparked reports about Hammer’s alleged sexual behaviour when they posted a series of unverified direct messages allegedly from the actor, which referenced cannibalistic fantasies.