Russell Simmons has filed a lawsuit against HBO and the makers of the 2020 documentary “On the Record,” claiming defamation for their allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
The record executive, who’s seeking $20 million in damages, is also accusing them of ignoring or suppressing evidence from witnesses who “refuted and rebutted the accusations falsely made” against Simmons, according to lawsuit filed in New York.
“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,” his attorneys, Imran Ansari and Carla DiMare, said in a written statement to Variety.
In the complaint, Ansari claims the streamer ignored multiple polygraph tests that “would have been discovered with due diligence and adherence to accepted journalistic standards.”
The documentary made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 2020 and detailed sexual assault and misconduct allegations against the Def Jam Records founder from multiple women.
The project was originally to be produced as a part of Oprah Winfrey’s deal with Apple TV, but the media mogul later withdrew from the film and it ultimately landed at HBO Max.
Along with the $20 million, Simmons is requesting a court order to have the title removed from all of HBO’s platforms.
Simmons has faced multiple lawsuits accusing him of misconduct. More than 20 women have come forward alleging sexual assault, many of whom participated in the documentary.
A spokesperson for Warner Bros., the parent of HBO, told TMZ the company “stand[s] by the filmmakers and their process, and will vigorously defend ourselves against these unfounded allegations.”
