Russell Simmons Faces New Lawsuit Accusing Him of Raping Former Def Jam Producer Years After Allegations from Label Executive
Russell Simmons’ legal battles regarding his alleged indecent sexual history are mounting as another woman has come forward accusing him of rape. A former Def Jam Records music executive and video producer is suing the label co-founder over battery, false imprisonment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress claims for the incident that allegedly took place in the 1990s.
The complaint against Simmons was introduced under New York City’s Gender Motivated Violence Protection Act and New York State’s Adult Survivors Act. Both implemented a temporary lift on the statute of limitations last year that allowed victims to pursue legal action against their alleged attackers.
That state statute’s window saw thousands of complaints filed, including those brought against Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jamie Foxx, and L.A. Reid, before the November deadline. A court will decide if the lawsuit can move forward under the latter act. The city statute’s window remains open until March 1, 2025.
The accuser identified herself as Jane Doe in the petition that was filed Tuesday, Feb. 13, in a New York federal court. Doe stated she was invited to his Manhattan apartment to review a rough cut of a video. She was met with inappropriate advances, such as the mogul allegedly using a wrestling move “in an attempt to appear playful.”
“Ms. Doe repeatedly told Mr. Simmons to get off of her, but he refused,” according to the complaint. ”She told him she was ‘serious’ and she ‘meant it.’ But Ms. Doe was forcefully pinned, could not move under his weight and Mr. Simmons would not listen to her.” The “situation escalated into aggression,” ultimately leading to the alleged rape. The executive said she suffered from mental duress, including panic attacks and an impaired ability to do her job.
The entrepreneur is also accused of committing workplace harassment leading up to the incident. “He would sit on her desk, lean over her, aggressively invading her personal space while making sexual innuendos…and rubbing the front of his pants…Mr. Simmons would follow Ms. Doe to the door or block her path to prevent her from opening it again,” states the complaint.
Drew Dixon, former Def Jam exec, & 18+ other women came forward years ago about how Russell Simmons is a very dangerous man. He uses yoga & spirituality, “good vibes only” as tool to hide & manipulate others. Check the documentary on him “On the Record”. pic.twitter.com/pk2uRBJw72 https://t.co/ZpuxGdnNlN
— Bettinna (@bettinna) June 19, 2023
Doe claims that a senior executive who witnessed Simmons’ behavior asked him to leave her office on multiple occasions. She resigned soon after the alleged sexual assault in 1997. She maintained an entertainment career by venturing into film and commercial production. “Her hard work and her career in music was disrupted and derailed by Mr. Simmons, a rich and powerful celebrity whose wealth and influence allowed his abusive behavior to go unchallenged for decades,” said her attorneys, Kenya Davis and Sigrid McCawley.
The woman claims to have come face to face with Simmons in March 2023 at a yoga class when they were stationed beside each other. She alleges that not only did Simmons say her name, but that when asked if it was OK for her to work out next to him, he responded, “Of course. What, do you think I’m gonna try and f—k you?” Doe said her account of sexual assault mirrored a pattern other accusers have shared about their experiences with the mogul.
Former Def Jam executive Drew Dixon launched a similar suit against her former boss in November. She felt she had been groomed for the assault prior to her being lured to his apartment under the guise that Simmons needed to give her a demo record. Once in the apartment, she said she was pinned down and raped. Similar to Doe, she left the label after the assault, noting that the hip-hop pioneer had redlined her career.
On Monday, Feb. 12, the mogul reposted a quote to his Instagram story that read: “The same people that did you wrong are telling a different version of the story and they’re playing the victim.” He noted, “love them anyway God sees all” with a red heart emoji.
Sexual accusations against him date back to 2017, when a dozen women, including screenwriter and actress Jenny Lumet, accused him of rape and or sexual assault. Lumet wrote about her experience in the Hollywood Reporter. Simmons said he remembered their encounter differently and that he was never violent in his relationships. He then stepped down from his companies, like Def Jam and Rush Communications.
Allegations against him were explored in the 2020 documentary “On The Record.”