Famed defense lawyer Sanford Rubenstein is being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in his apartment after attending the Rev. Al Sharpton's 60th birthday party on Wednesday, the
New York Daily News reports.
The 70-year-old Rubenstein has not been charged, and declined to comment to the Daily News.
The alleged victim is a 42-year-old business executive at Sharpton's National Action Network, sources told the News. The New York Police Department is reportedly investigating the case as a third-degree rape, which would indicate the victim was unable to give consent.
CBS New York reports that its law enforcement sources confirmed that an investigation was underway.
"Sanford Rubenstein vehemently denies any misconduct," his lawyer, Michael Ross, told the newspaper.
The National Action Network issued a statement saying that it and Sharpton were made aware by media that a NAN top official made allegations against Rubenstein.
"National Action Network and Rev. Al Sharpton has not been notified or advised by any official investigating authorities," the statement read. "The allegations as reported occurred at a private residence after a NAN event and had nothing to do with NAN nor Rev. Al Sharpton, therefore we have no comment at this time."
Rubenstein and Sharpton have been friends since the late-1990s, when Rubenstein represented Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant who was sodomized by NYPD officers.
Rubenstein has represented several high-profile civil rights cases against the police since then, including the family of Eric Garner this summer. Garner died after a chokehold was allegedly placed on him by police.
The incident between Rubenstein and the woman allegedly took place after Sharpton's swanky birthday party at the Four Seasons.