Russell Simmons is suing the creators of the On the Record documentary for $20 million, alleging defamation against HBO and the documentary’s directors, Amy Ziering, and Kirby Dick, due to his portrayal in the film, which delves into the former Def Jam CEO’s multiple sexual assault allegations.
“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 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,” attorneys Imran Ansari and co-counsel Carla DiMare said in a written statement, according to Variety.
Released in 2020, On the Record features multiple women who have accused the mogul of sexual harassment, rape and sexual misconduct. Dick, Ziering, and HBO refute claims that Simmons was ignored in the creation process.
Representatives for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the parent company of HBO, stated, “We dispute Mr. Simmons’ allegations, stand by the filmmakers and their process, and will vigorously defend ourselves against these unfounded allegations.”
Ziering also defended the project’s credibility. “We always do a very rigorous process of vetting.”
There is a one-year statute of limitations on Simmons’s lawsuit, which has passed. However, in the filing, Simmons claims the rereleases of the documentary have continued to smear his reputation and thus falls within the one-year window.
He wants $20 million in compensation. A jury has yet to decide if featuring the claims of Simmons’ victims was harmful. Yet, Simmons has kept himself and these claims in the headlines in recent years.
In October 2024, Sil Lai Abrams, Sherri Abernathy, and Wendy Carolina Franco filed for “confessions of judgment” in the New York County Supreme Court. The request was filed after Simmons agreed to a financial settlement for each woman and failed to render payment. In the initial settlement, Simmons pledged to pay $1,265,000 each to Abrams and Abernathy, and $515,000 to Franco.
The reason for each woman’s settlement has not been made public. However, Simmons’ failure to pay fueled speculation. Furthermore, the re-emergence of the settlement brought attention to the claims previously made by Abrams, Abernathy, and Franco.
As HBO has no intention of settling with Simmons, the case will move forward in federal court.
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