Russell Simmons Claims He’s “Retired”—But Jane Doe Accuser Isn’t Buying It

Russell Simmons declared he’s a “stateless” U.S. citizen as his legal battle with a Jane Doe accuser winds through court. Doe accused Simmons of “running from the Court’s jurisdiction to avoid taking accountability for his actions,” per court documents obtained by AllHipHop.

Doe, a former Def Jam executive, sued Simmons for rape in February. Simmons argued he can’t be sued in New York because he’s “stateless” and living on a retirement visa in Indonesia. Doe disputed the legitimacy of his claims.

“Defendant has presented self-serving declarations, incomplete screenshots of unverified scanned documents and cherry-picked references from his limited remote deposition,” Doe’s lawyers wrote. “But the limited discovery of Defendant taken so far demonstrates Defendant’s pattern of making inconsistent statements as to his citizenship as he sees fit, especially when examined in the context of his many public statements and overall course of conduct.

“His claim that he is ‘retired’ in Indonesia … while also trying to rebuild his business empire and actively working American partners for his current projects should give the Court serious doubt as to Defendant’s veracity in his claim that he does not intend to return to the United States.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AllHipHop (@allhiphopcom)

Doe’s attorneys cited Simmons’ past remarks to AllHipHop as evidence of his contradictory statements. Simmons told AllHipHop he didn’t flee the U.S. to evade legal issues.

“People saying that I somehow can’t come home when I’m there all the time wears on you,” Simmons said in May. “It wears on me after a while to keep hearing the same narrative, which is false. I’m always in L.A., I’m always in New York and Miami. And I’ve never had any reason to feel unsafe in America.”

Simmons attempted to distance himself from New York in a previous court filing. Simmons said he’s been living in Bali since 2018. Doe’s lawyers insisted he’s still domiciled in New York.

“During his September 26, 2024, deposition, Defendant testified that he still pays the lease on a Manhattan apartment for his children,” Doe’s attorneys wrote. “He admitted that he still maintains a New York office space for a company he owns at 512 Fashion Ave Rm 4300, New York, NY. This is in direct contradiction to Defendant’s representations to the Court in his renewed motion for judgment on the pleadings that he does not own any real property in New York.

“Because Defendant leases and owns real property in New York, this weighs in favor of him being domiciled in New York … Despite Defendant’s representations that he now claims to reside at a hotel in Indonesia, Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort, Defendant has provided no documentation to support this claim that this hotel is his actual residence and not a temporary boarding place at one of his places of business.”

Doe sued Simmons for sexual battery/assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and gender-motivated violence. Doe claimed the Def Jam founder raped her when she worked for the label during the ‘90s.