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'X-Men' Director Bryan Singer Accused Of Sexual Abuse, Participating In Hollywood Sex Ring Involving Boys

HONOLULU (CBS/AP) — A former child model and aspiring actor is accusing "X-Men" franchise director Bryan Singer of sexually abusing him as a teenager in a federal lawsuit filed in Hawaii.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday says the director of the forthcoming "X-Men: Days of Future Past" forced Michael Egan III into sex during parties in California and Hawaii when he was 15-17 in the late 1990s.

Singer's attorney Marty Singer says in a statement that the claims are "absurd and defamatory." He says the lawsuit is an obvious attempt to get publicity ahead of the director's next movie. The statement also said Singer planned to counter sue over "the completely fabricated" claims. He said the director will file "a claim for malicious prosecution against Mr. Egan and his attorney after we prevail."

"X-Men: Days of Future Past" is set for release May 23. It's the fifth film in the franchise.

Egan said most of the abuse he suffered took place at the Encino home of a Singer friend and associate. But Egan said the director also took him on a trip to Hawaii on two occasions in 1999 where the sexual abuse continued. "You were a piece of meat. There was no relationship," he said, "you were a piece of meat."

At a press conference Thursday, Egan said he was raped repeatedly when he was just 15 during wild parties held at the home of Internet mogul Mark Collins-Rector. He said Collins-Rector lured underage boys to his Encino home with promises of roles in Hollywood productions.

"The parties were typically sordid and featured sexual contact between adult males and the many teenage boys who were present for the parties," the lawsuit claimed. "The parties included the distribution of drugs and alcoholic beverages to the teenage boys at the party."

Egan claims Singer forced him to perform oral sex and was sodomized by the defendant.

He also said he and other victims were threatened to keep quiet.

Michael Egan
Michael Egan, 31, is accusing director Bryan Singer of sexually abusing him in the late 90s. (credit: CBS)

"You have a gun put in your mouth," Egan said, "and you believe they will pull the trigger on you at any time. Do you not listen to what they tell you to do? Maybe it would be different as an adult. But as a child, I was scared to death."

Egan said he and his mother took complaints to law enforcement years ago but nothing was done.

The FBI said Thursday that it investigated allegations back in 2000 involving Egan and successfully prosecuted a man as a result. It did not name Collins-Rector. But FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller added, "the suggestion that the FBI ignored evidence involving the sexual victimization of a child is ludicrous."

Collins-Rector was convicted in Florida of transporting minors across state lines for sex.

CBS2's Cristy Fajardo asked the LAPD about Egan's allegation that he spoke to them 15 years ago but police said they had no record of an interview.

The lawsuit is possible in Hawaii because of a state law that temporarily suspends the statute of limitations in sex abuse cases.

"Hollywood has a problem with the sexual exploitation of children. This is the first of many cases I will be filing to give these victims a voice and to expose the issue," Egan's attorney, Jeff Herman, said.

KNX 1070's Margaret Carrero reports TMZ.com's Harvey Levin said despite the allegations, the public shouldn't rush to judgement.

Former Child Model Accuses 'X-Men' Director Of Sexual Abuse, Involvement In Hollywood Sex Ring

"We don't whether this is true, not true, partially true," said Levin. "We know nothing."

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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