Russell Simmons may have abandoned the United States in favor of Indonesia's beaches and meditation retreats, and his choice to relocate has just brought him a substantial legal win. A federal judge dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit against the Hip-Hop mogul, saying the court has no jurisdiction over Simmons, who is now a "stateless" American citizen.
The ruling marks a significant development in a suit by Jane Doe, a former Def Jam executive, who claimed that Simmons raped her at his Manhattan apartment in the 1990s. Doe's claim was among an enormous tide of lawsuits unleashed by New York's Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for adult survivors of sexual abuse to seek justice. But notwithstanding the law's intent to bring overdue accountability, Simmons avoided the case because of his residency status.
Simmons has been residing in Indonesia since 2018, and in 2021, he obtained a permanent retirement visa, legally severing his ties with the U.S. His defense successfully argued that lacking legal domicile in New York or anywhere in America, he was out of reach of U.S. courts. Judge John G. Koeltl concurred, citing Simmons' Indonesian driver's license, several residences in the country, and selling his New York apartment in 2021 as proof of Simmons' presence abroad.
Doe's lawyers sought to rebut this by pointing out Simmons' regular trips to New York, business dealings, social media use, and even the rent he paid on his daughter's New York City apartment. But the magistrate judge was not persuaded. He wrote in the ruling that social media posts and business ties do not establish domicile. Simmons ultimately gave "clear and convincing evidence" that he was an Indonesian resident when the complaint was filed.
That ruling effectively protects Simmons from fighting this lawsuit on U.S. soil, at least for now. The music mogul has long denied various accusations of sexual assault and maintains that any previous encounters were consensual. But this legal victory does not signal the end of his troubles. He also still faces allegations that he has failed to pay nearly $9 million in settlements to six women who had previously made sexual misconduct allegations against him.
For Simmons, Indonesia has given him more than spiritual solace; it has granted him a legal loophole. The country has no extradition treaty with the United States, allowing him to continue his self-exile out of the immediate reach of American courts.
Suppose this ruling stings Jane Doe and other survivors seeking justice. In that case, it also raises questions of accountability during an era in which the #MeToo movement has aimed to tear down power structures that protect the accused. Simmons' case shows how wealth and deliberate mobility can shield powerful men from accountability when laws are on the books to address the barriers to justice that used to hinder such cases.
Whether this legal wrangling continues to work in Simmons' favor remains to be seen, but for now, his retreat to Indonesia has proven to be much more than a lifestyle but a shield that just helped save him in court.
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