Music executive Russell Simmons is suing HBO Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, and the makers of the 2020 documentary On the Record for $20 million, accusing them of defamation, causing emotional distress, and invading his privacy. The lawsuit, filed in New York, focuses on Simmons’ argument that the documentary ignored strong evidence that disputed the sexual assault claims made against him.
According to TMZ, Simmons claims that On the Record “ignored or hid” statements from more than 20 witnesses who disagreed with the accusations against him. He says this information was available to top executives at WarnerMedia, HBO Max’s parent company, including CEO John Stankey. The lawsuit also states that civil rights leaders and members of Congress asked HBO to look at the evidence backing Simmons’ denials, though the filing does not name these individuals.
