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Russell Simmons sues over sex abuse documentary

Russell Simmons is claiming defamation in a suit seeking $20 million (£14.8 million) from the filmmakers and distributors of On the Record.

The music mogul is suing HBO and the makers of the 2020 documentary that detailed allegations against him of sexual abuse, claiming that together they defamed him and ignored his version of events.

On the Record expanded on reporting by the New York Times, the Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Times and other publications on numerous allegations against Simmons.

It featured the testimony of several women who claim they were sexually assaulted by Simmons in the 1980s and '90s, when he was at the height of his influence as the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, the hip-hop label behind LL Cool J, Public Enemy, the Beastie Boys and more.

Simmons has consistently denied all the allegations. He alleges the filmmakers disregarded and/or suppressed information provided by his representatives, according to a summons filed in the Manhattan court.

HBO's parent company, Warner Bros Discovery, dismissed the lawsuit's allegations as "unfounded", Deadline reports.

Simmons is one of several high-profile music figures, including fellow producer Sean 'Diddy' Combs and R&B singer Chris Brown, to face multiple lawsuits for sexual misconduct.

Simmons was most recently sued in February 2024 by an anonymous former executive at Def Jam Recording, for an alleged rape in the 1990s.

Photo: Cover Media
Source: Cover Media
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