Former Def Jam Executive Files Lawsuit Accusing Russell Simmons of Rape

David Shankbone, via Wikimedia Commons

Music mogul Russell Simmons faces new rape allegations in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in New York federal court by a former Def Jam Recordings executive, who remains anonymous. The woman alleges Simmons sexually assaulted her at his New York apartment in the 1990s.

According to the lawsuit, the woman was a senior music executive and video producer at Def Jam when Simmons invited her to his apartment to review a video. However, the encounter allegedly turned violent, with Simmons engaging in nonconsensual sexual activity, as detailed in the lawsuit.

Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam Recordings in 1984, has not responded to the specific allegations in this lawsuit. He has previously denied all accusations of sexual misconduct, which have emerged in recent years, calling them "untrue" and "without merit."

This latest lawsuit comes amid Simmons' involvement in another legal case. Music executive L.A. Reid's defense team in a separate sexual assault lawsuit filed by former Arista Records and Def Jam executive Drew Dixon is seeking documents related to Dixon's accusations against Simmons. Dixon alleges Simmons raped her in 1995 and that Reid harassed her.

The lawsuit against Simmons is filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act, a recent law allowing survivors of sexual misconduct to file claims within a one-year window, regardless of the statute of limitations. This act has opened the door for several lawsuits against high-profile figures facing historical allegations, including Sean Combs, Jimmy Iovine, Neil Portnow, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Jamie Foxx, among others.