Russell Simmons, the co-founder of Def Jam Records, has finally spoken out about the sexual assault allegations against him, which first surfaced in 2017. In an interview on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger,” Simmons denied all allegations of violence and revealed that he took nine lie detector tests to prove his innocence.
He explained that he took one test for each “serious” accusation made against him, specifically instances where women claimed he had been violent or had apologized for assaulting them. Simmons emphasizes his belief in the accuracy of the tests, stating that he passed all nine with a 94% success rate. He even questioned the possibility of subconsciously believing something untrue and being caught by the test, but was assured by the polygraph examiner that this is unlikely.
Despite the lie detector results, 18 women have come forward with allegations against Simmons, ranging from rape to inappropriate workplace behavior. These allegations led to his resignation from Def Jam.
In June 2023, Simmons’ ex-wife Kimora Lee Simmons and their daughter Aoki publicly addressed their strained relationship with him. This was triggered by a Father’s Day post by Simmons, where he accused Kimora of stealing his money and used derogatory language towards her. Aoki responded to the post, stating that Simmons had been “awful” to her for years and that he did not financially support her.
While the lie detector tests may offer Simmons some support, the public perception of him remains tarnished by the numerous allegations. The interview on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” marks his first attempt to address these accusations directly, but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to fully rebuild his reputation.
He explained that he took one test for each “serious” accusation made against him, specifically instances where women claimed he had been violent or had apologized for assaulting them. Simmons emphasizes his belief in the accuracy of the tests, stating that he passed all nine with a 94% success rate. He even questioned the possibility of subconsciously believing something untrue and being caught by the test, but was assured by the polygraph examiner that this is unlikely.
Despite the lie detector results, 18 women have come forward with allegations against Simmons, ranging from rape to inappropriate workplace behavior. These allegations led to his resignation from Def Jam.
In June 2023, Simmons’ ex-wife Kimora Lee Simmons and their daughter Aoki publicly addressed their strained relationship with him. This was triggered by a Father’s Day post by Simmons, where he accused Kimora of stealing his money and used derogatory language towards her. Aoki responded to the post, stating that Simmons had been “awful” to her for years and that he did not financially support her.
While the lie detector tests may offer Simmons some support, the public perception of him remains tarnished by the numerous allegations. The interview on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” marks his first attempt to address these accusations directly, but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to fully rebuild his reputation.