9 more women accuse Russell Simmons of rape or sexual harassment

Russell Simmons is accused of raping four women
(Image credit: Rob Kim/Getty Images)

In November, two women — model Keri Claussen Khalighi and screenwriter Jenny Lumet — accused Def Jam founder and lifestyle entrepreneur Russell Simmons of sexual assault, prompting Simmons to "step aside" from his business empire. On Wednesday, The New York Times and Los Angeles Times recounted the stories of nine more women, four of whom accused Russell of raping them. They said they came forward now because of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and Simmons' denials about sexually assaulting Khalighi and Lumet.

Music producer Drew Dixon, singer Tina Baker, and music journalist Toni Sallie told The New York Times that Simmons raped them in the late 1980s and '90s, and female hip-hop artist Sherri Hines told the L.A. Times he raped her in 1983. Each of the women told friends or family about being raped contemporaneously, the newspapers confirmed. Christina Moore, comedian Amanda Seales, Lisa Kirk, actress Natashia Williams-Blach, and massage therapist Erin Beattie said that Simmons had sexually harassed or propositioned them, often by exposing his genitals.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.