Russell Simmons Sued For Defamation, After Rape Lawsuit: Details

Russell Simmons has been slapped with a defamation lawsuit, a day after he was accused of raping a former Def Jam Recordings executive in the 1990s.

Now, Simmons is sued for defamation after he called a former employee a "liar" for publicly claiming that she too has been sexually assaulted by him.

Russell Simmons Sued

Former Def Jam Recordings music executive Drew Dixon has sued co-founder Russell Simmons for defamation and is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.

Simmons allegedly downplayed the sexual assault and harassment accusations. Simmons also suggested that his many accusers could be "thirsting for fame," noting that all his sexual relationships have been consensual.

Dixon served as an Artist and Repertoire executive on the famed label from 1993 until 1995, when she left after Simmons' assault.

"Ms. Dixon has taken enough abuse. Not only was she violently raped by Russell Simmons - profoundly disrupting her personal and professional life - but after she tried to move forward and heal, he then further abused her by publicly proclaiming that she lied about the rape in search of 'fame.'" Dixon's lawyers told Rolling Stone in a statement. "Mr. Simmons has used his public platform to re-traumatize and terrorize Ms. Dixon, and the time has now come to hold him accountable for his defamatory statements and to end this cycle of abuse."

In 2017, Dixon came forward to The New York Times, revealing that she had to fend off Simmon's sexual advances while working at the company. She claimed that Simmons would "frequently try" to grope and kiss her even to the point that he's exposing himself to her. The most traumatic experience by far was in 1995 when Dixon was waiting for a car in Simmons' apartment, he grabbed her from behind and sexually assaulted her as he pinned her to the bed.

Russell Simmons Defamation Lawsuit Explained

In Dixon's defamation lawsuit against Russell Simmons, her lawyers emphasized the defamatory language that Simmons exhibited.

In an interview with journalist Graham Bensinger, Simmons doubled down that he had been in "crude, compromising situations" but he says he has "never been forceful" in his relationships. (via Rolling Stone)

"[Simmons] has continued in his campaign to discredit Ms. Dixon, referring to the 'main accuser' from On the Record and calling her a liar for making the account of the assault public - defamation that started in December 2019 has continued until today," the complaint read.

As of this writing, Russell Simmons' legal camp has yet to respond to Dixon's new lawsuit.

Tags

Lawsuit, Rape