The women involved in these settlements include Sherri Abernathy, who alleged a horrific rape back in ’83; Sil Lai Abrams, who shared her story of alleged rape in ’94; and Wendy Franco, whose 2023 settlement apparently included compensation for “physical injuries and sickness.” These are heavy allegations that carry weight and deserve to be heard.
Lawyers representing Abrams, Franco, and Abernathy have confirmed that things are settled, and this all happened right after Rolling Stone reached out to Simmons for comment. What’s in the fine print of these settlements? Well, those details are staying under wraps.
But hold up – this ain’t the end of the road for Simmons’ legal battles. As of early 2025, the man who helped build Def Jam still reportedly owes a whopping $8 million to the remaining three women – Tina Klein-Baker, Toni Sallie, and Alexia Jones. So far, he’s only coughed up about $220,000 towards that balance. Where’s the money, Russ?
Court docs paint a picture of Simmons claiming he’s broke, saying he “owns no property in the United States” and basically “crying poverty.” Then there’s the defamation case brought by music exec Drew Dixon, who accused him of rape back in 2017. Simmons’ lawyers are claiming he owes *them* over $100,000 in unpaid fees. Oh, and he allegedly skipped out on a $15,000 court penalty after missing a hearing. It’s all a bit messy, to say the least.
Now, it’s super important to note that these settlement papers specifically say Simmons’ payments don’t mean he’s admitting any guilt or wrongdoing. It’s a standard thing in these types of agreements, but still, it’s worth pointing out.
The financial and legal saga continues, and the legacy of this once-revered hip-hop mogul remains tarnished by controversy and those serious unresolved accusations. How this all plays out is something we’re keeping a close eye on.
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Disclaimer:
For Education and discussion purposes. Please note no copyright infringement is intended, was recorded on BlkCosmo’s own equipment, and we do not own nor claim to own any of the original recordings used in this video and intend to use this as ‘fair use’.
