Kevin Liles Accused of 2002 Sexual Assault in Lawsuit Targeting Def Jam & UMG

Music executive Kevin Liles is embroiled in a lawsuit filed by a former employee who has accused him of sexual assault, DailyMail.com can reveal. The lawsuit, filed in the New York Supreme Court, is against Liles, Def Jam Recordings, and its owner, Universal Music Group (UMG).

Jane Doe states that Liles sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she worked at Def Jam. Liles, 56, served as president of Def Jam during that era and served as executive vice president of The Island Def Jam Music Group.

According to the lawsuit, as seen by TMZ, Doe started as an executive assistant at Def Jam in 1999. She claims Liles repeatedly sexually harassed her while they were working, making "derogatory and degrading comments" about her body and appearance.

The harassment, the lawsuit states, intensified in 2000 when Liles allegedly began to rub his body against hers and inappropriately pinch her. Liles then assaulted and raped her after she rebuffed his advances, Jane Doe says in the lawsuit filed last month in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The suit also claims that Def Jam and UMG fostered an environment that made this kind of misconduct possible. The claim said the company "had actual or constructive knowledge" of Liles' alleged acts but didn't take steps to prevent  them.

While the assault itself purportedly happened over 20 years ago, the suit was brought under the 2022 change to the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law. This change allows survivors to file civil claims until March 1, 2025.

Jane Doe's attorney, Lucas B. Franken of Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC, called his client courageous. "We commend our client for her determination to seek justice for the sexual abuse she endured, as well as the sheer bravery it took to come forward against a well-known, celebrity figure," in a statement to Variety.

Liles, an industry veteran, helped to build the blueprint for hip-hop and R&B. He left Def Jam to co-found 300 Entertainment in 2012, then became CEO of 300 Elektra Entertainment in 2022 when Warner Music Group acquired the company.

Liles Breaks His Silence

The former music executives have since denied the claims in a statement to the outlet, saying, "I absolutely deny the outrageous claims reported in the press this evening."

"I wish I could share a more detailed response to this slander, but this is the first I've heard of this claim and the anonymous accuser's attorney shared the lawsuit with gossip influencers and media outlets before it was even posted by the court, so my attorneys and I have not seen the actual lawsuit."