It's an unfortunate word choice, given the context. Not a crime, but unfortunate.
As Kad implies above, the melodrama of the word "rape" distracts the reader from Sprecher's point (which may well have been that he believes he feels as if he was raped).
Yet another update: The producers are suing Mark Hotton for $100 million -- a man who declared bankruptcy last year, claiming $15 million in debt. Good luck in that!