Russell Simmons lawsuit against HBO Max is getting heavier by the minute.
The hip-hop mogul filed a verified amended complaint on March 18, 2026, in New York Supreme Court, accusing Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO Max, and the filmmakers behind On The Record of defamation, emotional distress, and deceptive business practices. He’s asking for the film to be completely destroyed, pulled from all platforms, and for a full public retraction, along with major damages.
At the center of the case is the 2020 documentary On The Record, which premiered at Sundance and later streamed on HBO Max. The film features four women accusing Simmons of rape, but he claims the project was a one-sided narrative designed to profit off the #MeToo movement while ignoring key facts.
The details in this lawsuit go deep.
Simmons says all four accusations date back decades, ranging from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, and were never criminally charged. He claims the filmmakers failed to properly vet the stories and ignored contradictions, timelines that didn’t add up, and witness accounts that challenged the allegations.
He also breaks down each accuser directly.
For the central accuser, Simmons says they had consensual relationships and that she regularly visited his penthouse, often in ways that suggested comfort, not fear. He points to statements from her former intern, who said she was “smitten” and “always excited” to see him, and a former boyfriend who said he had “no knowledge” of any assault allegation. He also claims she worked at Def Jam for over a year after the alleged incident without ever reporting anything.
Then comes what the lawsuit frames as a major reveal.
Simmons alleges that same accuser had a private financial deal tied to the film and functioned as an undisclosed co-producer. According to the complaint, she allegedly said, “I planned this for years,” while also working on a book deal repeating the same allegations. He argues that presenting her as a neutral voice while she had financial stakes misled viewers.
The second accuser’s story also gets challenged.
Simmons says he has no recollection of being alone with her and points out that she dedicated her 2008 book to him before later claiming it was sarcastic. He also highlights timeline inconsistencies, including claims about events that allegedly happened years after certain venues and business relationships had already ended.
The third accuser’s account is also disputed heavily.
According to the filing, she admitted in her own book to being in a “drunken stupor” the night of the alleged incident and described herself as a longtime blackout drinker. Simmons also cites a call she made the next day to Def Jam’s former president, who allegedly said it was clear the encounter was consensual and that the accuser never used the word rape. He also points to her own writings about seeking relationships with powerful men and her admission of multiple other accusations.
Then there’s the fourth accuser.
Simmons claims she was recruited late into the film after Oprah Winfrey stepped away and says multiple witnesses confirmed they continued dating after the alleged incident. He also notes that she later said she regretted participating in the documentary and criticized the filmmakers’ handling of her story.
Oprah’s name comes up in a big way.
The lawsuit states that Oprah Winfrey initially signed on as an executive producer but withdrew in January 2020 after reviewing the film and investigating the claims. According to the complaint, she cited “too many inconsistencies” and even urged filmmakers to include opposing perspectives. Simmons says those requests were ignored before HBO licensed the film anyway.
And HBO’s decision is a major focus.
Simmons claims multiple major outlets, including Apple TV, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, and others, declined to publish the allegations after reviewing them. However, he says HBO moved forward with distribution despite those red flags and despite receiving evidence from his team.
That evidence, he says, was extensive.
The lawsuit claims Simmons provided over 25 to 30 witnesses, signed statements, and video rebuttals that contradicted the accusations. He also says he passed nine polygraph tests administered by a respected examiner who stated he was truthful, but none of that made it into the film.
There’s also internal fallout from the film itself.
According to the complaint, one of the documentary participants later condemned the production, calling it “a big manipulation” and claiming she was misled into participating. The filing says she described the filmmakers as exploitative and even claimed she was encouraged to lie, while also stating she was ashamed to be part of the project.
Simmons says he tried to stop it before release.
The lawsuit claims HBO told him to stop contacting executives while he was attempting to present evidence. He also alleges the company relied on the filmmakers’ word without independently verifying the claims, even after receiving warnings from civil rights leaders, politicians, and industry figures asking for a more balanced story.
But the case isn’t just about 2020.
Simmons argues the damage continued through new distribution deals, including the July 2024 Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle, which introduced the film to millions of new viewers. He also points to international rollouts through 2025 and 2026, saying each new release counts as a fresh wave of defamation.
That’s key to why this case is still active now.
At its core, Simmons claims the documentary was marketed as factual while allegedly hiding financial motives, excluding key evidence, and presenting unproven allegations as truth.
And now, he wants the entire thing erased.
