Russell Simmons is being accused of forging a girl’s signature on a doc that supposedly dates again almost 30 years. A lawsuit filed by “Jane Doe,” a former Def Jam Recordings worker who claims to be one other one in all Simmons’ sexual assault victims, suggests the Def Jam co-founder falsified a doc.
Court docket docs clarify Ms. Doe felt appalled when Simmons, with out regret, did not acknowledge the gravity of his alleged assault on her. Solely after studying of potential authorized motion in November 2023 as a part of the Grownup Survivors Act did he specific a imprecise apology by a buddy. Later, throughout authorized proceedings, it emerged {that a} doc purportedly settling their dispute existed. Nevertheless, this doc raised a number of purple flags: inconsistencies in dates, handwriting and firm letterhead.
“The doc is an Adobe pdf file titled ‘Settlement – Jane Doe v. Russell Simmons,’ though the phrases ‘[Doe] – Executed Doc.pdf’ additionally seem within the physique of the file on the high of every web page,” the docs state. “The metadata for the file states ‘Created: March 24, 2024.’ The doc is dated ‘January 9, 1997’ on the high of every web page, however states ‘[Jane Doe] 1-6-97′ on the backside of every web page.”
Ms. Doe denies ever signing it and contests its authenticity. Even when real, the doc’s scope doesn’t cowl her rape declare towards Simmons, focusing as an alternative on her departure from Def Jam and minor monetary issues. Simmons’ habits post-dating the alleged settlement, together with confrontational actions, undermines its validity. Thus, even when the doc have been genuine—which Doe’s attorneys insist isn’t—it wouldn’t launch Doe’s claims of rape towards Simmons.
Doe is requesting “normal, punitive and financial damages for lack of employment, lack of enterprise alternatives, lack of wages.” She additionally desires Simmons and to compensate her “for accidents suffered because of the illegal conduct alleged herein.”
Simmons has been hit with a number of lawsuits since 2017. Doe is one in all 20 ladies who allege abuse by the hands of Simmons, who vehemently denies the allegations. In 2023, he sat down for an interview on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” by which he mentioned the controversy.
“I’ve by no means been violent to anyone,” Simmons stated. “After all I’ve been insensitive, however actually by no means been forceful in any of my relationships, all of which I’ve had have been consensual.”
Simmons revealed he additionally had “hundreds” of sexual companions, including, “I used to be in so many compromising conditions that folks can have a recollection from 30 or 40 years in the past, and it may be totally different from my recollection.” He stated the variety of ladies he slept with was partially because of the tradition on the time.
“I feel that the tradition and the local weather was totally different, and the way in which folks interacted was totally different,” he stated. “I feel to guage 40 years in the past as if it was at this time, we get in bother. Now we have to just accept the place we have been and transfer on and be someplace else sooner or later if we don’t like the place we have been. And I feel we’re doing that now. And I feel that’s the great that comes with Me Too.”
He additionally stated he’d taken “9 lie detector assessments,” by which he attested to having “by no means executed this to anybody.”