The various accusations of sexual assault against Russell Simmons have seemingly followed him all the way to Bali, where he currently resides. Moreover, AllHipHop reports that process server Daniel John Ayoub handed him a lawsuit from fellow former music executive Drew Dixon for defamation concerning his staunch dismissal of her sexual assault claims against him. The story goes that, on March 5, Ayoub went to the Gdas Bali Health And Wellness Resort, which Simmons owns, to serve him with the filing at around 12:30PM local time. After passing two security checkpoints, he searched for him for an hour before finally spotting him.
"I recognized him as the person named in the service papers as Russell Simmons," Ayoub reportedly expressed. "[He's] a well-known celebrity and widely known in Bali, Indonesia as well as in the United States and other places." Simmons had sat with some associates by the time the server approached him. "I said ‘Excuse me, Mr. Simmons, sorry to interrupt your meeting,'" he reportedly claimed. "I then handed Simmons the service documents in an envelope and said, ‘This is for you.'" According to reports, the Queens native expressed shock at the move, and made some calls to his security staff and other unknown contacts.
Russell Simmons At City of Hope's 2023 Spirit of Life Gala
For those unaware, this case began when Russell Simmons vehemently denied Drew Dixon's accusations of sexual assault against him. He called her a "liar" and insinuated that the people accusing him of this behavior simply want the fame and money that such a high-profile case brings. Dixon then sued for defamation, as she claims these comments negatively impacted her professional and personal life in a massive way. She seeks compensatory and punitive damages, and this is a separate case to another related to sexual assault from another former Def Jam executive.
Meanwhile, Dixon also accused music executive L.A. Reid of similar abhorrent behavior, who has also denied any and all claims. According to court documented reportedly obtained by AllHipHop, both legal teams are considering settlements in their respective cases. But it's unclear what the future will hold in terms of proper evaluation of evidence, accountability, and industry change. For more news and the latest updates on Russell Simmons, check back in with HNHH.