Russell Simmons Reportedly Sued For Alleged Rape By Former Def Jam Producer
Another woman has come forward with accusations against Russell Simmons.
According to a lawsuit obtained on Tuesday (Feb. 13) by PEOPLE, the woman –known as Jane Doe –worked in the 90s "as a senior level music executive at Def Jam Recordings.” Doe is suing Simmons for sexual battery/assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment under the Under New York’s Adult Survivors Act and Gender Motivated Violence Act.
The suit cites that Doe –who was a music video producer who worked with Simmon's music label Def Jam Recordings– said her career was "disrupted and derailed by a devastating experience" because of the mogul.
Doe said that the early phases of their relationship was professional and he “was not flirtatious with her at all." Additionally, she said it was common for her to bring music videos to his New York City apartment "with no incident."
Things took a turn when "Ms. Doe brought to Mr. Simmons’s apartment a rough cut of a video she needed him to view for approval.” Allegedly, Simmons “aggressively and relentlessly flirted with Ms. Doe, made sexual innuendos and advances, asked sexually explicit questions, including personal questions about her sexual preferences and questioning if she was currently wearing a bra.”
After that, Doe claims he invited her to his bedroom to watch a rough cut of the music video, but also propositioned her to have sex with him. The suit claims Doe "rejected" his advancements, but "Mr. Simmons performed a ‘wrestling move,’ climbing on top of Ms. Doe and pinning her arms down on the bed.” Following her refusal of his advances, the suit said, “Simmons ignored Ms. Doe’s resistance and proceeded to rape her."
That incident altered the trajectory of Doe's life forward. She “quit Def Jam in 1997 and worked as an executive producer for film and commercial production companies.” She also “struggled in her relationships with employers” and “became overwhelmed with anxiety.” Doe also moved from New York to California. According to the suit, “After the assault, she became a completely different person."
Doe's attorney, Kenya K. Davis, provided the outlet with a statement regarding these accusations. "As detailed in the complaint, our client was sexually assaulted and harassed by her boss, Russell Simmons, while pursuing her professional ambitions as an executive at Def Jam."
The statement continued, "She was proud of her contributions to the burgeoning musical genre of hip hop, but 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. Now a successful writer and producer in the entertainment industry, Jane Doe’s traumatic experiences with Simmons echo those of so many other women who he has preyed upon for decades."
Simmons has not spoken out about these allegations.
Along with Doe, Simmons has been accused of sexual misconduct by 18 other women, with claims that date back to 2017, as cited by the outlet.
Still, Simmons has denied these claims.
In 2017, he sat down with “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” to discuss the allegations while maintaining his innocence.
"I've never been violent to anybody," the 66-year-old said. "Of course I've been insensitive, but certainly never been forceful in any of my relationships, all of which I've had have been consensual."
Following these allegations, Simmons stepped down from Def Jam in 2017, as cited by the outlet.