Russell Simmons emerged victorious in a significant legal showdown as a judge dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit against him, citing his residence in Indonesia.
Living in Indonesia comes with unexpected advantages for Simmons beyond the envisioned yoga retreats and scenic villas. The Hip-Hop mogul successfully had a lawsuit filed by a woman known as Jane Doe thrown out by a federal judge. This dismissal hinged on the court deeming Simmons a "stateless" American citizen, therefore absolving it of jurisdiction over him.
Jane Doe, a former executive at Def Jam, had accused Simmons of assaulting her in the 1990s during her tenure at the label. She alleged that Simmons sexually assaulted her in his Manhattan residence after enticing her under the pretext of previewing a music video.
The legal battle arose amidst a series of suits empowered by New York's Adult Survivors Act, briefly lifting the statute of limitations for adult survivors of sexual misconduct.
Nonetheless, Russell Simmons' legal counsel successfully contended for the dismissal, pointing to his residence in Indonesia since 2018.
Judge John G. Koeltl ruled in favor of Simmons, highlighting the plaintiff's failure to establish his domicile in New York at the time of the complaint.
The crux of the matter rested upon a jurisdictional technicality. Since Simmons relinquished ties to any U.S. state and has resided in Indonesia under a permanent retirement visa since 2021, the court found its jurisdiction invalid over him.
Despite Doe's efforts to demonstrate Simmons' U.S. residency through social media activity, business affiliations, and sporadic New York visits, the court upheld Simmons' Indonesian domicile.
Simmons solidified his stance during his deposition by affirming, "I don’t live in America. America’s not my home."
While Simmons has refuted over a dozen sexual assault allegations, maintaining that all previous interactions were consensual, he faces ongoing legal challenges. Accusations have surfaced that he failed to remit settlement amounts to six women regarding sexual misconduct claims, summing up to nearly $9 million.