Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons is facing fresh legal pressure after three women accused him of missing a key settlement payment deadline, just days after he publicly demanded “hundreds of millions” — including a reported $100 million apology — from HBO over its documentary On the Record.[1][2] According to recent filings in New York Supreme Court, accusers Sheri Abernathy, Sil Lai Abrams, and Wendy Carolina Franco claim Simmons failed to pay more than $3.4 million allegedly owed under confidential settlement agreements tied to longstanding sexual assault and misconduct allegations.[1]
In documents submitted this week, attorneys for the three women say Simmons agreed in October 2025 to pay Abernathy and Abrams $1,162,617.77 each and Franco $512,064.88, with the full “Settlement Amount” due by January 1, 2026.[1] Their lawyer, O. Andrew F. Wilson, told the court that Simmons did not pay “the Settlement Amount, or any portion thereof” by the deadline, triggering confession-of-judgment clauses that allow the women to seek higher totals if he allegedly defaults.[1] They are now pursuing increased “confessed” amounts — reportedly $1,614,290.74 each for Abernathy and Abrams, and $711,000.31 for Franco — plus 9% annual interest and enforcement costs.[1]
The renewed dispute landed almost simultaneously with Simmons’ latest public offensive against HBO. Earlier this week, he took to Threads insisting, “HBO you owe me 100s of millions of dollars,” adding that he wanted “an apology and 100 million” and claiming the network’s conduct around On the Record was “horrific and malicious.”[1][2] According to The Hollywood Reporter and AV Club summaries of his ongoing lawsuit, Simmons is already suing HBO parent Warner Bros. Discovery and the filmmakers for $20 million, alleging defamation, invasion of privacy, false advertising, and misrepresentation in the 2020 documentary that spotlighted multiple women’s sexual assault claims against him.[3][4]
The underlying allegations stretch back decades and were central to On the Record, which features accusations from former Def Jam executive Drew Dixon, domestic violence advocate Sil Lai Abrams, screenwriter Jenny Lumet, and others, many of whom say Simmons raped or coerced them in incidents dating to the 1990s.[1][2][4] Additional accusers, including Alexia Norton Jones and Sheri Hines, have also come forward, and separate filings from other women previously claimed Simmons owed nearly $8 million in earlier settlements, leading to their own confessions of judgment.[1] Simmons has consistently and publicly denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex and, according to multiple reports, has not admitted wrongdoing in any settlements.[1][2]
HBO has maintained its support for the women featured in On the Record and has vowed to continue defending the documentary and its directors in court, while the network has reportedly not responded to Simmons’ latest social media demands beyond the pending $20 million case.[1][3][4] The combination of the alleged missed settlement deadline and Simmons’ escalated rhetoric toward HBO underscores how his legal and reputational battles remain far from resolved — a continuing flashpoint for conversations around power, accountability, and the legacy of one of hip-hop’s most influential executives.[1][2]
