By Melena Ryzik

A Los Angeles woman has accused the music mogul Russell Simmons of sexual battery and rape in a civil lawsuit filed against him Wednesday in federal court there.

The lawsuit asks for $5 million in damages from Mr. Simmons, the multimillionaire Def Jam Recordings co-founder who, in the last two months, has been accused of sexual misconduct, assault or rape by at least 10 other women, and has been the focus of a police investigation.

Mr. Simmons has strenuously denied any misconduct. In a statement Wednesday, he called the lawsuit allegations “absolutely untrue.” He added: “I look forward to having my day in court — where, unlike the court of public opinion, I will have the ability to make use of fair processes that ensure that justice will be done and that the full truth will be known.”

In the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Jennifer Jarosik, 37, said she first met Mr. Simmons, 60, in New York in 2006, and that they became friends based on a mutual interest in meditation, yoga and veganism. Ms. Jarosik was interested in interviewing Mr. Simmons for a documentary she was making; Mr. Simmons agreed and said he would help her produce and finance the film, which they began working on, the complaint says. Ms. Jarosik said that, in 2016, she went to Mr. Simmons’s home in Los Angeles, at his invitation, and he asked her to have sex. She said no. He became aggressive, the complaint alleges, and pushed her onto the bed; when she tried to push back, he knocked her to the floor and raped her, she says.

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The woman accusing Russell Simmons of raping her twice, and already filed one lawsuit, is in New York to file a police report with the NYPD and also appear on Megyn Kelly‘s talk show.

Jennifer Jarosik and her attorney Perry Wander went to lunch Monday at Le Bernardin, one of the city’s top restaurants. We’re told while on the East Coast, Jarosik will be participating in an interview for “Megyn Kelly Today.”

The Blast broke the story, Jarosik plans on filing police reports with the NYPD and LAPD — she alleges the Def Jam founder raped her at his NYC home in 2011, and then his LA home in 2016.

Megyn Kelly is not only doing have Jarosik on her show, as we previously reported, Nicole Eggert will also be interviewed to talk about Scott Baio.

Megyn Kelly TODAY welcomes filmmaker Jennifer Jarosik, who has filed a $5 million lawsuit against music mogul Russell Simmons, whom she says had been her friend and mentor. She describes interviewing him for a film, after which, she says, he “aggressively came onto me” and then raped her. She also alleges a second rape at Simmons’ house.

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles woman is suing music mogul Russell Simmons, alleging he raped her at his home in 2016. An attorney for 37-year-old Jennifer Jarosik filed the lawsuit Wednesday.

She is one of six women who have publicly leveled allegations against Simmons saying he raped them. Simmons has denied all of them.

Russell Simmons accused of raping 3 women in New York Times report

The lawsuit said the two had been friends for several years when Simmons agreed to help Jarosik produce a documentary.

The suit says Jarosik went to Simmons’ Los Angeles home in August 2016 for a project meeting and he tried to have sex with her, then raped her when she refused.

Jarosik is seeking at least $5 million in damages.
Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons seen March 5, 2014, in New York City.
Getty

Simmons said in a statement that the allegations in the suit are “absolutely untrue.”

In a statement read to CBS News over the phone, Jarosik’s lawyer Perry Wander said the music industry should “face the music.”

“It’s time that the hip hop industry face the music and recognize that the deep-rooted history of misogyny and discrimination and exploitation of women in the music industry has to come to an end. #TimesUP,” he said. “Mr. Simmons is a longtime vegan, practicing nonviolence against animals. So basically he treats animals better than women. The hypocrisy has to stop now.”

You can read the lawsuit in its entirety by clicking here.