Woman in Los Angeles alleges Russell Simmons raped her in 2016
LOS ANGELES -- A Los Angeles woman is suing music mogul Russell Simmons, alleging he raped her at his home in 2016. An attorney for 37-year-old Jennifer Jarosik filed the lawsuit Wednesday.
She is one of six women who have publicly leveled allegations against Simmons saying he raped them. Simmons has denied all of them.
The lawsuit said the two had been friends for several years when Simmons agreed to help Jarosik produce a documentary.
The suit says Jarosik went to Simmons' Los Angeles home in August 2016 for a project meeting and he tried to have sex with her, then raped her when she refused.
Jarosik is seeking at least $5 million in damages.
Simmons said in a statement that the allegations in the suit are "absolutely untrue."
In a statement read to CBS News over the phone, Jarosik's lawyer Perry Wande said the music industry should "face the music."
"It's time that the hip hop industry face the music and recognize that the deep-rooted history of misogyny and discrimination and exploitation of women in the music industry has to come to an end. #TimesUP," he said. "Mr. Simmons is a longtime vegan, practicing nonviolence against animals. So basically he treats animals better than women. The hypocrisy has to stop now."
You can read the lawsuit in its entirety by clicking here.
