Russell Simmons is currently being investigated by the New York Police Department. According to the Los Angeles Times, Simmons is being investigated following rape accusations made by several women.
The investigation began after nine women came forward with sexual misconduct claims this week. Four of the women have accused him of rape.
Simmons’ attorney said the mogul will cooperate with police, but he has also maintained that he is innocent. He took a lie detector test while answering questions about one of his alleged victims. Simmons reportedly passed the test.
However, Simmons faced criticism after countering the #MeToo movement with the hashtag, #NotMe.
My intention is not to diminish the #MeToo movement in anyway, but instead hold my accusers accountable. #NotMe Again, this is not a movement against or even in conjunction with #Metoo. It’s just a statement about my innocence,” Simmons wrote in a post.
The #NotMe hashtag was not the best move for Simmons and could take away from his argument. At this point, Simmons must only present facts in cases that will likely come down to “he said, she said.”
Following the initial accusations, Simmons stepped away from his business ventures.
