Russell Simmons’ Accuser Pushes Back on Mogul’s Attempt to Dismiss Rape Allegations

A former Def Jam employee accusing Russell Simmons of rape in the 1990s has filed court documents challenging the music mogul’s claim that he cannot be sued in the United States due to his residency in Bali, Indonesia. On Monday (November 4), documents obtained by Rolling Stone revealed that Jane Doe, who filed the lawsuit under a pseudonym, argues that Simmons is actively avoiding U.S. jurisdiction to escape accountability.

Simmons, in response to the February lawsuit, claimed on October 18 that he could not be subjected to U.S. court proceedings as he sold his last American property in 2021 and now resides in Bali on a retirement visa. “Defendant is running from the court’s jurisdiction to avoid taking accountability for his actions,” Doe’s filing states.

Jane Doe asserts that Simmons has continued to work and expand his business interests internationally, maintaining office space in midtown Manhattan and pursuing ventures in locations like Dubai and Singapore. “He testified that he is building a business empire and needs a partner for his current projects,” her filing states, citing the morality clauses in Dubai and Singapore that have posed challenges to his business efforts.

Further, Doe notes that Simmons’ residency in Indonesia is tied to the Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort, which he owns alongside other American investors. This business activity, she argues, contradicts the requirements of a retirement visa. “Building an empire and being retired are mutually exclusive,” her filing states.

Doe also referenced a May 2024 interview Simmons gave to AllHipHop, in which he denied allegations that he moved to Bali to evade legal consequences, saying,

“People saying that I somehow can’t come home… wears on me after a while to keep hearing the same narrative, which is false. I’m always in LA, I’m always in New York and Miami.”

As of now, a judge has not yet ruled on Simmons’ request to dismiss the case.

In the original lawsuit filed in February, Jane Doe accuses Simmons of rape, sexual harassment, and emotional distress. She claims the incident occurred when Simmons invited her to his apartment under the guise of work and later pinned her down despite her repeated protests. Afterward, she alleges Simmons continued to harass her at work until she resigned in 1997. Court documents reveal that he allegedly “would sit on her desk, lean over her, aggressively invading her personal space while making sexual innuendos, suggestions, and advances.”

This latest development adds to the legal complications surrounding Simmons, whose alleged conduct continues to impact the hip-hop industry and raise questions about the accountability of high-profile figures.