Russell Simmons successfully had a former executive’s rape and sexual harassment lawsuit dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction after stating, “America is not my home,” and declaring that he now resides in Indonesia, according to a court order.
A federal judge in Manhattan has dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit filed by a Jane Doe against Simmons, ruling that he is a “stateless” American citizen, making it impossible for the court to claim jurisdiction over him.
Jane Doe, a former executive at Def Jam, has filed a lawsuit alleging that Russell Simmons sexually assaulted her in the 1990s while she was working at the label. Doe claims that Simmons raped her in his Manhattan apartment after luring her there under the pretense of reviewing a music video.
The suit was part of a larger wave of litigation enabled by New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which briefly lifted the statute of limitations for adult survivors of sexual abuse.
According to All Hip-Hop News, Simmons’ defense team argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed because he has not lived in New York or any U.S. state for years. Judge John G. Koeltl agreed, stating that the plaintiff failed to prove that Simmons was legally domiciled in New York when the complaint was filed.
Simmons has lived in Indonesia since 2018 and obtained a permanent retirement visa in 2021. He also sold his New York apartment in 2021, further solidifying his claim.
The court was not convinced by the plaintiff’s evidence, which included Simmons’ social media posts and occasional visits to New York. Judge Koeltl ruled that these did not prove Simmons was domiciled in the U.S.
Even though the lawsuit has been dismissed, Simmons still faces other legal issues, including accusations of failing to pay nearly $9 million in sexual assault settlement monies to six women.
