Russell Simmons Says He Took 9 Lie Detector Tests amid Sexual Assault Allegations

Russell Simmons said he has taken a total of nine polygraph tests since 18 women accused him of sexual assault.

The music industry executive, 66, appeared in the latest episode In Depth with Graham Bensinger and admitted that he had been “rude” and in “compromising situations” in the past, but continues to deny any violent allegations against him. In an interview published Wednesday, he explained that he has undergone numerous polygraph tests since more than a dozen women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, including rape.

“I took nine polygraph tests, people don’t know that,” said Simmons, who was first charged with sexual assault in 2017. “Nine separate ones — seven from the president of the Polygraph Association. One for each and a serious accusation.”

Russell Simmons in New York in August 2019.

Dominik Bindl/FilmMagic

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The businessman described to Bensinger, 37, that he did one test per “violent” claim, or a claim he thought might be complex because several defendants said the same thing. He explained: “When someone said, for example, ‘I was violent’ — one person said that — and I was never violent. Took it. And one said I apologized. I have never apologized for attacking anyone. But if two people say it, because one said it, and #metoo, and the other person said it, then I tested for it.”

He added: “Three hours of testing by two polygraph examiners – one I’ve never done on anyone and one I’ve never done on every individual.”

“Some people say they’re not accurate, but they’re 94% accurate,” Simmons continued. “I’ve done nine of them, it’s pretty clear that I don’t believe it. I even asked if, ‘Well, what if I believe that, but it’s not true?’ He said, ‘Your subconscious will sort you out.’ I don’t know how true that is, but that’s what the president of the Polygraph Association told me.”

After the Def Jam Recordings co-founder said there were tapes of polygraph tests available but that “no one in the mainstream would cover it,” he said it was because “there’s a narrative” that “we don’t want to go backwards, I want to believe women. ”

“But women and celebrities may be a little different in some cases,” the entertainment mogul continued. “But we don’t want to mistrust women, we have to trust women. We have to give them the benefit of the doubt, but we also can’t demonize people without evidence.”

Russell Simmons in Los Angeles in February 2023.

Frazer Harrison/Getty

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Simmons also spoke with In depth presenter about why he thinks it’s important to notice the “very gray” areas and that his memory of an event may be different from someone else’s.

“I can simply tell you that I have been in so many compromising situations, that people can have a memory from 30 or 40 years ago, and it can be different from my memory. And that could be one where there might be cooperation,” he said.

He also asked a few questions as examples: “If you had more quads than most men at once, could anyone walk away feeling hurt? Can anyone leave and feel they wish they hadn’t? Can someone reinvent the story of thousands of people? Can anyone want a bad name in a market where people crave fame, even infamy. Can someone who just got out of prison and wants to sue you because they had an experience and can reimagine it just a little bit differently? And can you be vulnerable enough to accept that?”

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Eighteen women have come forward with allegations against Simmons — ranging from workplace misconduct to attempted assault in the women’s restroom after a night of partying to rape in his apartment — since 2017.

Shortly after allegations of harassment and bullying were made public, the hip-hop mogul stepped down from all duties in his Def Jam empire.

In 2020, a documentary film For the record was released on Max featuring the stories of several women who came forward against the hip-hop mogul.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

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Source: HIS Education