Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons has been served with a defamation lawsuit in Bali, Indonesia, over allegations of sexual assault and rape made by writer and activist Drew Dixon.
Process server Daniel John Ayoub served Simmons at the Gdas Bali Health and Wellness Resort, which Simmons founded. Ayoub recalled: “I said, ‘Excuse me, Mr. Simmons, sorry to interrupt your meeting.’ I handed him the documents in an envelope and said, ‘This is for you.'” Simmons questioned the envelope’s origin, and Ayoub replied it was from New York’s state Supreme Court.
Simmons’ serving comes amidst fellow hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing federal sex trafficking investigation, which has sent shockwaves through the music industry.
Dixon’s lawsuit alleges Simmons waged a “concerted and malicious campaign to discredit her” following her 2017 allegations of sexual assault and rape. She cites comments Simmons made in a December 2023 interview with Graham Bensinger as evidence.
Dixon seeks both compensatory and punitive damages for malicious conduct.
