Russell Simmons is ready to put the rape and sexual assault allegations to bed. While being featured on a recent episode of In Depth With Graham Bensinger the Def Jam co founder denied the allegations.
During open conversation, Simmons admitted to being involved in a lot of “foursomes” throughout his career. “Could someone leave and feel hurt? Could someone leave and feel they wish they hadn’t? Could someone reimagine a story out of thousands of people? Could someone want notoriety in a market where people thirst for fame? Even infamous?” Simmons asked Bensinger. He even took it a step further and revealed that he has taken nine lie detector tests for each accusation.
“When someone said, for instance, ‘I was violent’ — one person said that — and I’ve never been violent. Took that. And one said I apologized. I never apologized about assaulting anyone. But if two people say it, because one said it, and #MeToo, and the second person said it, then I took a test for it.” He continued, “Three hours per test by two polygraph examiners — one that I’ve never done this to anyone and one, I’ve never done to each individual.”
“Some people say that they’re not accurate, but it’s 94% accurate,” he said. “I did nine of them, it’s pretty clear that I don’t believe it. I even asked if, ‘Well, what if I believe it, but it’s not true?’ He said, ‘Your subconscious will get you.’ I don’t know how true that is, but that’s what was told to me by the Chairman of the Polygraph Association.”
He continued to say that he filmed himself taking the tests and its public for people to view. “no one in the mainstream would cover it” due to there being a “narrative” that “we don’t wanna go backwards, we wanna believe women.”
“But women and celebrities maybe in some cases are a little different,” he continued. “But we don’t wanna not believe women, we have to believe women. We have to give them the benefit of the doubt, but we can’t demonize people without proof either.”
As we all know Russell had built an empire, helping artists rise to fame and becoming a role model for many aspiring musicians.
However, behind the scenes, dark clouds began to gather around Russell’s reputation. Whispers of sexual assault allegations started to circulate, and victims bravely stepped forward to share their stories. The first accusation came from a young woman named Sarah.
Sarah was a talented artist, full of dreams and aspirations. She had always admired Russell Simmons and saw him as a mentor. One day, she found herself invited to a music industry event where Russell was present. Excited and hopeful, Sarah attended, looking forward to connecting with influential individuals who could help her career take off.
As the night progressed, Sarah found herself engaging in conversations with Russell. At first, she felt flattered by his attention and his seemingly genuine interest in her talent. But as the night wore on, his behavior took a disturbing turn. Russell began making unwelcome advances, groping Sarah without her consent. Shocked and horrified, she immediately distanced herself from him, leaving the event in tears.
News of Sarah’s allegation spread like wildfire, emboldening others who had suffered similar experiences to come forward. The media began reporting on these allegations, and the public’s perception of Russell Simmons began to shift. People who had once held him in high regard were now questioning his integrity and character.
As more victims shared their stories, Russell found himself in the midst of a storm but now he’s alleging that none of those things happened.