Russell Simmons sues HBO and film-makers over documentary detailing alleged sexual abuse

Russell Simmons is suing HBO and the film-makers of a 2020 documentary detailing allegations in opposition to the song multi-millionaire of sexual abuse, claiming that in combination they defamed him and not noted his model of occasions.

On The Record, directed via Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick, expanded on reporting via the New York Times, the Hollywood Reporter, the Los Angeles Times and different publications on a large number of allegations in opposition to Simmons. It featured the testimony of a number of ladies who declare they have been sexually assaulted via Simmons within the 1980s and 90s, when he was once on the top of his affect because the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, the hip-hop label in the back of LL Cool J, Public Enemy, the Beastie Boys and different most sensible acts.

Simmons has constantly denied all allegations. He seeks $20m for defamation, alleging the film-makers “disregard[ed] and/or suppressed” data equipped via his representatives, in step with a summons filed in Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday via Simmons’ attorney, Imran Ansari.

“Despite voluminous support for Mr Simmons in the form of credible information, persuasive evidence, witness statements, and calls for further investigation by notable members of the media, politics, and the civil rights movement, the defendants simply disregarded it, and released, and continue to re-release globally, a film that tremendously disparaged and damaged Mr Simmons with salacious and defamatory accusations that he vehemently denies,” Ansari and co-counsel Carla DiMare mentioned in a commentary.

The go well with comes after the statute of barriers for defamation in New York, which is 365 days from the date of first newsletter. To be successful, Simmons and his criminal workforce should exhibit that HBO is answerable for “republication” in world markets.

On Wednesday, HBO’s father or mother corporate, Warner Bros Discovery, disregarded the lawsuit’s allegations as “unfounded”.

“We dispute Mr Simmons’ allegations, stand by the film-makers and their process, and will vigorously defend ourselves against these unfounded allegations,” an organization spokesperson advised Deadline.

On the Record premiered to sturdy evaluations on the Sundance movie competition in January 2020. The movie was once first of all meant to circulation on Apple TV+ as a part of manufacturer Oprah Winfrey’s maintain the corporate, however ended up at HBO Max that May after Winfrey unexpectedly withdrew her fortify forward of the movie’s premiere, bringing up unspecified “inconsistencies”. (Though now not affiliated with the movie, Winfrey persevered to publicly fortify its topics – “I stand with the women, I support the women, and I do hope that people see the film,” she advised CBS that January.)

Winfrey’s surprise withdrawal from the mission “blinded” the film-makers, who maintained that she was once improper. “There are no inconsistencies,” Dick advised the Guardian in May 2020. “These stories were reported by the New York Times, the LA Times and the Hollywood Reporter and very extensively vetted.”

According to Simmons’ submitting, he and his attorneys unsuccessfully lobbied HBO leaders on the time to prevent distribution of the movie with unspecified contradictory proof. “Defendants were requested to review this evidence and information by multiple luminaries in media and politics, including but not limited to, civil rights leaders and members of Congress, and other high-profile black leaders; and board members within the defendant corporation(s) itself,” the submitting states.

Simmons is one in all a number of high-profile song figures, together with fellow manufacturer Sean “Diddy” Combs and R&B singer Chris Brown, to stand a couple of court cases for sexual misconduct, together with from ladies who gave the impression in On the Record. He has additionally adopted their footsteps in suing the vendors of documentaries detailing the allegations. Brown claimed defamation in a $500m go well with in opposition to Warner Bros Discovery for freeing the 2024 documentary Chris Brown: A History of Violence, filed this previous January. Diddy, who’s recently on trial in New York for racketeering and intercourse trafficking, sued NBC Universal and its streaming carrier Peacock in February for Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, a 90-minute movie at the allegations of sexual abuse made in over 3 dozen court cases.

Simmons was once maximum just lately sued in February 2024 via an nameless former government at Def Jam Recording, for an alleged rape within the 1990s and sexual harassment that “disrupted and derailed” her occupation. In 2023, he reached a confidential agreement with 3 ladies, together with documentary player Sil Lai Abrams, who alleged within the movie that Simmons raped her in 1994.

In all, greater than 20 ladies have accused Simmons of sexual attack. Ansari, his attorney, works for Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, a New York-based regulation company this is recently representing Harvey Weinstein in his felony trial for sexual attack and misconduct. Simmons seeks “immediate removal” of the documentary from HBO’s platforms and $20m in damages.