Russell Simmons is reportedly facing renewed legal pressure from multiple women who accuse him of sexual misconduct, just days after the hip-hop mogul publicly demanded “hundreds of millions” of dollars from HBO over its documentary On the Record.[1][2][5] According to recent court filings in New York, three accusers claim Simmons missed a key January 1, 2026 settlement payment deadline tied to confidential agreements, and they are now asking a judge to enforce judgments totaling roughly $3.4 million they allege he still owes.[1]
According to AllHipHop, attorneys for Sheri Abernathy, Sil Lai Abrams and Wendy Carolina Franco filed documents in New York Supreme Court stating that Simmons agreed in October 2025 to pay Abernathy and Abrams $1,162,617.77 each and Franco $512,064.88 as part of confidential settlements.[1] Each woman received a signed confession of judgment from Simmons, a legal mechanism that allows them to seek larger amounts if he defaulted on the payment schedule.[1] Their lawyer, O. Andrew F. Wilson, told the court that Simmons allegedly failed to pay “the Settlement Amount, or any portion thereof” by the January 1 deadline, prompting the women to move to enforce higher “confessed” amounts with 9% annual interest and additional legal fees.[1]
The new filings surfaced almost simultaneously with Simmons’ latest escalation of his defamation battle against HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery over On the Record, which chronicles rape and sexual assault allegations from several women in the music industry.[1][3][5] On January 8, 2026, Simmons used Threads to claim, “HBO you owe me 100s of millions of dollars,” insisting he needs the money “for all my charities and family members, specifically my children,” and accusing the network of “horrific and malicious” behavior.[1][2][5] This social media salvo comes on top of a $20 million defamation lawsuit he filed in June 2025 alleging the documentary misrepresented his relationships and ignored evidence he says undercuts the accusations.[1][3]
The financial dispute with Abernathy, Abrams and Franco is part of a wider legal and reputational battle that has followed Simmons since multiple women publicly accused him of sexual assault and misconduct in incidents dating back to the 1990s.[1][3] The HBO Max documentary amplified those accounts, including those of former Def Jam executive Drew Dixon and screenwriter Jenny Lumet, while Simmons has consistently denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex and has not admitted wrongdoing in any settlements.[1][3] As the accusers seek to enforce the alleged $3.4 million in unpaid settlement-related judgments at the same time Simmons is demanding $100 million in damages from HBO, the clash underscores the ongoing tension between one of hip-hop’s foundational executives and the women who say he abused his power.[1][3][5]
