Russell Simmons Facing $3 Million Debt For Alleged Failed Settlement Payments To Three Women

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1278 Views
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Russell Simmons Settlement Debt Three Women Hip Hop News
(FILES) In this file picture taken on February 26, 2017, US entrepreneur and producer Russell Simmons poses upon his arrival for the 25th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood, California. / AFP PHOTO / TIBRINA HOBSON (Photo credit should read TIBRINA HOBSON/AFP via Getty Images)
The reasoning behind Russell Simmons' settlements is unclear.

Russell Simmons faces yet another legal obstacle after allegedly failing to fulfill previously agreed settlement payments to three women totaling $3 million, putting him in debt for this amount. The three individuals in question are Sil Lai Abrams, Wendy Carolina Franco, and Sherri Abernathy. Moreover, they reportedly agreed on confidential settlements with him in November 2023 for "alleged personal, physical injuries and sickness." According to Variety, the payments were due by earlier this week on Tuesday (October 1). Simmons offered confessions of judgement and allowed the three women to pursue expedited judgements and start a collection process in the case of his default, which is now reportedly a reality.

However, Russell Simmons did not admit wrongdoing, and it's unclear why these individuals agreed on these settlements due to the confidential nature of what court documents are available. Nevertheless, he agreed to pay Franco $515,000, whereas he reportedly promised to pay Abrams and Abernathy $1,265,000 each. Abrams previously alleged that Simmons sexually assaulted her in 1994, one of various allegations of sexual misconduct against the music executive. As previously stated, though, the nature of all the three settlements here is unclear.

Russell Simmons At A MusiCares Event

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 03: Russell Simmons attends MusiCares Persons of the Year Honoring Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Elsewhere, Russell Simmons appeared in the headlines recently for a social media interaction relating to the current Diddy scandal. He liked a post from Instagram page The Neighborhood Talk that shared a clip from an interview with Ariel Mitchell-Kidd, an attorney representing one of the Bad Boy mogul's allege victims. Mitchell-Kidd alleged that someone contacted her about the sale of one of the alleged "freak-off" tapes. In addition, she brought forth the allegation that this footage features another high-profile celebrity. While many online users speculated about this "like," it's all just rumor and interpretation, not a concrete connection.

Meanwhile, Russell Simmons continues to engage in a legal battle with his ex, Kimora Lee Simmons. This is based on allegations that she stole money from him to bail her ex husband out of prison, to make a long story short. As for allegedly failing to pay these three women's agreed court settlements, the available reports on the matter don't indicate a next step.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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