Two more women officially filed criminal complaints against Russell Simmons on Tuesday, bringing the total number of women accusing the Def Jam music mogul of sexual misconduct or assault to 14.
According to TMZ, Sherri Hines, who accused Simmons of raping her at his office in 1983 in a televised interview with Megyn Kelly last month, is one of the two women who filed with the NYPD. The other woman, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed that Simmons raped her at his Manhattan residence after a date in 1991. NYPD is already investigating Simmons for at least seven claims of sexual misconduct.
Representatives for Simmons told TheWrap that he stands by his previous statements and continues to deny all allegations that have been made since the Los Angeles Times published an expose in November in which former model Keri Claussen Khalighi accused Simmons of raping her, while disgraced movie producer Brett Ratner watched.
“Let me be crystal clear and very direct. Abusing women in any way shape or form violates the very core of my being,” Simmons said in a statement after the Times article was published. “I have always spoken out regarding my life experiences, women’s issues and the need to bring a faster and more decisive shift in the collective consciousness that will help bring about true women’s equality.
“More than anything, I want my daughters to live in a more equal world and a world where they will not become victims of sexual harassment,” he added.
Simmons has since stepped down from his businesses, but in December, he announced he was starting a social media campaign called #NotMe in an effort to “prove without any doubt that I am innocent of all rape charges.” He said in an Instagram post that his intention with this campaign was “not to diminish the #MeToo movement in anyway, but instead hold my accusers accountable.” But on Monday, Page Six reported that Simmons was canceling the campaign, saying that it was “time for women to speak.”