Kevin Spacey made the set of Netflix's "House of Cards" into a "toxic" work environment through a pattern of sexual harassment, eight people who currently work on the show or worked on it in the past tell CNN. One former employee told CNN that Spacey sexually assaulted him. 
 
 The former production assistant, whose account has never previously been disclosed, told CNN that Spacey sexually assaulted him during one of the show's early seasons. All eight people, each of whom spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity for fear of professional repercussions for speaking out, described Spacey's behavior as "predatory," saying it included nonconsensual touching and crude comments and targeted production staffers who were typically young and male. 
 
 The new accusations follow an explosive article published less than a week ago by BuzzFeed News, in which actor Anthony Rapp said Spacey made sexual advances toward him in 1985, when Rapp was 14 years old. 
 
 On Monday, Spacey released an apology in response to Rapp's account. "I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago," Spacey said. "But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years." 
 
 Related: Kevin Spacey seeking treatment after sexual assault allegations 
 
 Spacey's publicist said in a statement on Wednesday that the actor is seeking unspecified treatment following Rapp's allegations. 
 
 On Thursday, that publicist -- Staci Wolf -- said she and Creative Artists Agency were parting ways with the actor. 
 
 Production of Season 6 of the series was shut down this week. Netflix and the production company Media Rights Capital issued a joint statement Tuesday to say that they are reviewing the "situation and to address any concerns of our cast and crew." Spacey is also one of the show's executive producers. 
 
 The former production assistant who spoke with CNN said Spacey sexually assaulted him one afternoon when the assistant was assigned to drive to an offsite location to pick up Spacey and bring him to the "House of Cards" set, which is located about 30 miles outside of Baltimore. 
 
 Related: House of Cards' production halted 
 
 The production assistant says that when he and Spacey were just minutes away from the set and while the car was moving, Spacey, who was driving, put his hands down the production assistant's pants. The production assistant told CNN that the touching was nonconsensual. 
 
 "I was in a state of shock," he said. "He was a man in a very powerful position on the show and I was someone very low on the totem pole and on the food chain there." 
 
 The production assistant asked that what happened next in the car not be described, for fear that it would identify him. 
 
 Once they had arrived on set, the production assistant says he helped the actor take his belongings from the car to Spacey's trailer on set. While the two men were in the trailer, the production assistant says, Spacey cornered him, blocked his exit and made inappropriate contact with him. 
 
 "I told him, 'I don't think I'm ok with this, I don't think I'm comfortable with this,'" the production assistant said. That's when the actor became "visibly flustered," fled the trailer, got in his car and left for the remainder of the day, according to the production assistant. 
 
 The production assistant did not report the incident to any managers of the series or the police, but he did tell a coworker at the time. CNN has spoken to the coworker to corroborate the production assistant's story. 
 
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 The alleged sexual assault came months after the production assistant had, he told CNN, complained to a supervisor that Spacey was sexually harassing him. The supervisor's solution was to never let the production assistant be alone with Spacey while they were on set, the production assistant says. 
 
 The assistant said the harassment then stopped for long enough for him to feel comfortable driving with Spacey to the set. 
 
 "I have no doubt that this type of predatory behavior was routine for him and that my experience was one of many and that Kevin had few if any qualms about exploiting his status and position," he said. "It was a toxic environment for young men who had to interact with him at all in the crew, cast, background actors." 
 
 The other people who worked on "House of Cards" with whom CNN spoke all supported the idea that the set could be toxic for young men because of Spacey. 
 
 A crew member who worked on the show for all six seasons said that Spacey routinely harassed and touched him. 
 
 "He would put his hands on me in weird ways," the crew member said. "He would come in and massage my shoulders from behind or put his hands around me or touch my stomach sometimes in weird ways that in normal everyday conversation would not be appropriate." 
 
 This crew member said he did not "feel comfortable" telling Spacey to stop. "That's the worst part about this whole thing. I would love to be able to speak out about this kind of stuff and not fear." 
 
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 CNN spoke to a close friend of the crew member, who says that the crew member had told him about Spacey's behavior over the course of the six seasons of the show that it happened. 
 
 When asked on Thursday about the new allegations, Netflix said in a statement to CNN that they sent a representative to the "House of Cards" set on Monday. Spacey did not respond to CNN's request for comment about the new allegations. 
 
 "Netflix was just made aware of one incident, five years ago, that we were informed was resolved swiftly," the statement said. "On Tuesday, in collaboration with MRC, we suspended production, knowing that Kevin Spacey wasn't scheduled to work until Wednesday. Netflix is not aware of any other incidents involving Kevin Spacey on-set. We continue to collaborate with MRC and other production partners to maintain a safe and respectful working environment. We will continue to work with MRC during this hiatus time to evaluate our path forward as it relates to the production, and have nothing further to share at this time." 
 
 MRC, the production company behind "House of Cards," told CNN in a separate statement on Thursday that they have implemented "an anonymous complaint hotline, crisis counselors, and sexual harassment legal advisors for the crew." 
 
 "We are deeply troubled to learn about these new allegations that are being made to the press concerning Kevin Spacey's interaction with members of the crew of House of Cards," the MRC statement said. "As the producer of the show, creating and maintaining a safe working environment for our cast and crew has always been our top priority. We have consistently reinforced the importance of employees reporting any incident without fear of retaliation and we have investigated and taken appropriate actions following any complaints. For example, during our first year of production in 2012, someone on the crew shared a complaint about a specific remark and gesture made by Kevin Spacey. Immediate action was taken following our review of the situation and we are confident the issue was resolved promptly to the satisfaction of all involved. Mr. Spacey willingly participated in a training process and since that time MRC has not been made aware of any other complaints involving Mr. Spacey." 
 
 MRC did not elaborate about the complaint it cited in the statement. They added that they will continue to investigate all claims brought to their attention. 
 
 Other people with whom CNN spoke describe behavior similar to that recounted by the crew member. 
 
 A former camera assistant, who said he witnessed Spacey's behavior but was never harassed by Spacey, said the touching largely occurred in an open space and that "everybody saw." 
 
 "All the crew members commented on his behavior," the former camera assistant said. "What gets me is we have to sign sexual harassment paperwork before the start of the show and apparently [Kevin Spacey] doesn't have to do anything and he gets away scott-free with this behavior." CNN confirmed that Spacey was given guidelines regarding sexual harassment in the workplace. 
 
 Colleagues never complained because they were afraid of losing their jobs, the former camera assistant said. 
 
 "Who is going to believe crew members?" he said. "You're going to get fired." 
 
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 A former female production assistant who worked on several seasons of "House of Cards" said she witnessed Spacey's sexual misconduct with crew members on set. 
 
 "It was very known that Kevin was inappropriate, and males I worked with complained to me about how they felt uncomfortable," she said. "Kevin does this thing which was play fights with them in order to touch them." She said she saw Spacey approach "multiple people" to "say hello, greet them, shake their hand and pull their hand down to his crotch and touch their crotch. I have friends say he reached up their shorts on set." 
 
 Spacey also made sexually-charged comments on set, according to a former crew member. 
 
 "There was one instance [when] a grip bent over to pick something up and his ass crack was showing, and Kevin Spacey made a sexual comment about it," he recalled, adding that the comment Spacey made was "nice ass." 
 
 The allegations about Spacey also come as the entertainment world is reckoning with fallout from the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal. Dozens of women have accused him of sexual harassment and police are investigating assault claims. Weinstein has apologized for his behavior, but he denies all allegations of nonconsensual sex. ||||| Media Rights Capital says it has also set up an anonymous complaint hotline, crisis counselors and sexual harassment legal advisors for the show's crew in light of recent allegations. 
 
 Netflix and House of Cards producer Media Rights Capital are responding to new allegations of sexual harassment made against Kevin Spacey. 
 
 In a CNN report Thursday, multiple employees of the Netflix series accused the star and executive producer of inappropriate behavior. One production assistant claimed that Spacey put his hands down the assistant's pants without consent while he was driving Spacey to the set. He then alleged that Spacey cornered him and touched him inappropriately. 
 
 Another crewmember on the political drama said Spacey "would put his hands on me in weird ways," including massaging his shoulders and touching his stomach. Six other employees from the show talked with CNN about their experiences with the actor. 
 
 In a statement, MRC responded to the latest allegations and confirmed a previous allegation of sexual harassment by Spacey in 2012. 
 
 “We are deeply troubled to learn about these new allegations that are being made to the press concerning Kevin Spacey’s interaction with members of the crew of House of Cards. As the producer of the show, creating and maintaining a safe working environment for our cast and crew has always been our top priority," the company said. 
 
 "We have consistently reinforced the importance of employees reporting any incident without fear of retaliation and we have investigated and taken appropriate actions following any complaints," the statement continued. "For example, during our first year of production in 2012, someone on the crew shared a complaint about a specific remark and gesture made by Kevin Spacey. Immediate action was taken following our review of the situation and we are confident the issue was resolved promptly to the satisfaction of all involved. Mr. Spacey willingly participated in a training process and since that time MRC has not been made aware of any other complaints involving Mr. Spacey." 
 
 The company also said that it has set up an anonymous complaint hotline, crisis counselors and sexual harassment legal advisors for the crew in the wake of the accusations made. "MRC will continue to thoroughly investigate all current claims and any new claims that are formally brought to our attention, and will continue to monitor our own production and practices to ensure that our cast and crew feel safe and supported," the company added. 
 
 Netflix also issued a new statement Thursday regarding the latest claims made against Spacey: “When the allegations broke about Kevin Spacey on Sunday night, in conjunction with MRC, we sent a representative to set on Monday morning. Netflix was just made aware of one incident, five years ago, that we were informed was resolved swiftly. On Tuesday, in collaboration with MRC, we suspended production, knowing that Kevin Spacey wasn’t scheduled to work until Wednesday. Netflix is not aware of any other incidents involving Kevin Spacey on-set. We continue to collaborate with MRC and other production partners to maintain a safe and respectful working environment. We will continue to work with MRC during this hiatus time to evaluate our path forward as it relates to the production, and have nothing further to share at this time.” 
 
 The accusations follow those made by Star Trek actor Anthony Rapp, who alleged in a Oct. 29 BuzzFeed News article that Spacey made sexual advances towards him in 1986 when Spacey was 26 and Rapp was 14. Spacey tweeted a statement offering his "sincerest apology" to Rapp but said he did not remember the incident. In the statement, he also came out as gay, a move which was criticized by many in Hollywood as well as GLAAD. 
 
 On Monday, Netflix and MRC confirmed the upcoming sixth season of the series, which had already started production, would be its last. (Media Rights Capital is co-owned by Eldridge Industries, which also owns The Hollywood Reporter.) 
 
 In a joint statement, the companies said they were "deeply troubled" by the accusations. Executives from both companies traveled to the Maryland set to discuss the situation with cast and crew to ensure their safety. On Tuesday, Netflix and MRC suspended production on the series indefinitely. 
 
 On Wednesday, Spacey's rep said he is "taking the time necessary to seek evaluation and treatment" in the wake of the allegations. ||||| UPDATED, 7:11 PM (MRC Statement added): Netflix just released a statement tonight saying that Kevin Spacey, star and executive producer of House of Cards, will no longer be involved in the series if it is to continue on the Internet network. This dramatic move for the political drama comes less than a week after Star Trek: Discovery Anthony Rapp alleged sexual misconduct toward him by Spacey more than 30 years ago. 
 
 However, singing from a different choir book for the first time since the scandal began, HoC producer Media Rights Capital 30 minutes later send out its own statement about Spacey’s status on the series. Unlike Netflix’s quite definitive statement, MRC said the star and EP “has been suspended.” 
 
 Being that Spacey has been intrinsic to the show since its conception, on both sides of the camera, the suspension move by MRC clearly is part of the legal procedure of detangling him from House of Cards. 
 
 Officially confirming what Deadline reported exclusively on October 30, Netflix tonight also said it is pulling the plug on the Spacey-starring movie Gore, which had been in post-production. Here are the full statements from Netflix and MRC: 
 
 NETFLIX: 
 
 Netflix will not be involved with any further production of House of Cards that includes Kevin Spacey. We will continue to work with MRC during this hiatus time to evaluate our path forward as it relates to the show​. ​We have also decided we will not be moving forward with the release of the film Gore, which was in post-production, starring and produced by Kevin Spacey. MEDIA RIGHTS CAPITAL: 
 
 “While we continue the ongoing investigation into the serious allegations concerning Kevin Spacey’s behavior on the set of HOUSE OF CARDS, he has been suspended, effective immediately. MRC, in partnership with Netflix, will continue to evaluate a creative path forward for the program during the hiatus.” 
 
 PREVIOUSLY, 6:45 PM: Shut down earlier this week as allegations of sexual misconduct by Kevin Spacey went public, House of Cards’ future remains highly uncertain, we’ve heard. 
 
 While it is possible that the Beau Willimon created Netflix series could resume production on its sixth and now final season soon after Thanksgiving, nothing is written in stone. In fact, things are so in flux on the Media Rights Capital produced HoC that the indefinite suspension of production that started on October 31 may end up being permanent. 
 
 “We’ve really been told nothing, which leads a lot of us to think that it’s over,” a House of Cards insider told Deadline today of where things stand. House of Cards was filming the third episode of the not yet officially announced Season 6 when the plug was pulled on Halloween. 
 
 If the political drama is to go forward, the most probable route will see Spacey’s murderous and now ex-President Frank Underwood killed off on the show as no one envisions a scenario where Spacey returns to the set. The fifth season concluded with the Robin Wright portrayed former First Lady and VP Claire Underwood now America’s first female POTUS. However, while the assassination of the male Underwood occurred in the early 1990s UK version of Michael Dobbs’ books that the U.S. show is based on, that was the end of the series, not a new beginning. 
 
 A non-narrative and perhaps more important hinderance to a post-Spacey equation is that the Oscar winner has been an integral part of the show. He has been there going back to the pitch, and serves also as an executive producer on the series. If Spacey is removed from House of Cards, it is possible that he may take legal action, we’ve learned. 
 
 On Wednesday Spacey, who has reached out to some top lawyers in town, released a statement through his PR reps saying he would “seek evaluation and treatment” in the wake of the sexual abuse allegations against him first claimed by Star Trek Discovery actor Anthony Rapp on October 29. 
 
 Yesterday, as CNN exposed several new allegations from anonymous crew members, MRC revealed that at least once “incident” with Spacey occurred on the show. A complaint in 2012 saw Spacey taking what MRC described as a “training program.” Netflix said on November 2 that they only recently learned of the incident. Having parachuted execs into the Maryland-based production on October 30, MRC said on Thursday that they set up an “anonymous complaint hotline, crisis counselors, and sexual harassment legal advisors for the crew” of the multiple Emmy nominated series. 
 
 Also on Thursday Spacey was dropped by his agency CAA and publicist Staci Wolfe. That was followed today with Scotland Yard opening an investigation into Spacey after a male actor claimed he was sexually assaulted by the now embattled Hollywood star in London back in 2008.
– The latest accusations against Kevin Spacey bring the timeline of alleged sexual assault and harassment up to the present: No fewer than eight current and former House of Cards employees tell CNN that the star's behavior, including groping and crude comments, made the set of the Netflix show a "toxic" working environment. The show halted production earlier this week. The workers—who asked to stay anonymous out of fear of ruining their careers—say Spacey targeted young male staffers in a "predatory" manner. One former production assistant says he was in a car on the way to the set with Spacey when the actor suddenly put his hands down his pants. The worker says the nonconsensual touching from someone in a "very powerful position on the show" left him "in a state of shock." The production assistant says after arriving on set, Spacey cornered him in his trailer and made "inappropriate contact." He says after he told Spacey what he was doing wasn't OK, Spacey became "flustered" and left for the rest of the day. House of Cards producer Media Rights Capital says Spacey was reported for sexual harassment in 2012 and it is "deeply troubled" by the new allegations, per the Hollywood Reporter. MRC says it has set up a complaint hotline and legal assistance for workers. In a separate allegation, a man who is now 48 tells Vulture that he had a sexual relationship with Spacey when he was 14 and the actor was 24. He says they met around five times and there was a lot of "physical activity"—but Spacey then tried to rape him. He says he fought the actor off and fled, and Spacey later broke off contact with him.