Russell Simmons finds himself embroiled in yet another rape allegation, this time stemming from a former Def Jam employee who worked with him in the 1990s.
The accuser, identified as “Jane Doe” in court documents, has filed a lawsuit against Simmons, alleging that he obstructed her career advancement through harassment.
According to the lawsuit filed in a New York City federal court under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, Doe worked as a music executive and video producer at Def Jam during the ’90s.
“Ms Doe’s career in the music industry was disrupted and derailed by a devastating experience at the hands of Mr Simmons,” the suit reads.
Initially, their relationship was professional, but it allegedly turned violent, resulting in Simmons allegedly assaulting Doe and disabling her career at Def Jam, a job she cherished, at the peak of her success and financial stability.
The lawsuit outlines an incident where Simmons purportedly invited Doe to his apartment to review a music video, but the encounter quickly escalated into aggression.
According to the document, Simmons wrestled with Doe in what seemed like a playful manner but then pinned her down on his bed and proceeded to rape her despite her repeated protests.
Following the alleged assault, Doe reportedly suffered from panic attacks, depression, and anxiety, rendering her unable to fulfill her duties at Def Jam.
Despite her distress, Simmons purportedly continued to harass her at the label’s Manhattan headquarters, going as far as invading her personal space and making inappropriate sexual advances, according to the lawsuit.
Simmons has consistently denied the accusations against him, maintaining that his encounters with women were consensual.
In a previous interview, he claimed to have taken nine polygraph lie detector tests to support his assertions. Regarding allegations of engaging in “foursomes” with multiple women, Simmons suggested that some individuals may have misinterpreted the events or sought fame through their claims.
Represented by Kenya Davis and Sigrid McCawley at Boies Schiller Flexner, Jane Doe seeks compensatory, consequential, exemplary, general, and punitive damages for the monetary, physical, and emotional toll she allegedly endured as a result of Simmons’ actions.
