Russell Simmons has been going through his fair share of legal woes as of late, but according to him, that has nothing to do with his decision to reside in Bali. Currently, the Def Jam co-founder is being sued for alleged assault by a former employee. The anonymous woman, going by Jane Doe, additionally accuses him of forging her signature on a document.
Earlier this week, AllHipHop reported that Simmons had no plans to leave Bali amid his legal battle, as he's lived there since 2018. “I am not physically present in New York and I do not have an intention to live in New York in the future,” he told the outlet, "I own no property in the United States. I have been living in Bali since 2018, which is where I intend to remain. For at least nine years before I moved to Bali, I lived in California. As a California resident, I paid California resident taxes in the years immediately prior to moving to Bali. Currently, I pay California non-resident state taxes.”
Russell Simmons Can Return To The U.S.
Unfortunately, it looks like his comments backfired, leading some to believe that he was hiding out in Bali because he was afraid to come back to the U.S. According to him, however, that couldn't be further from the truth. He clarified with AllHipHop again recently, stating that his decision not to come home doesn't mean he can't.
“People saying that I somehow can’t come home when I’m there all the time wears on you,” he explained. “It wears on me after a while to keep hearing the same narrative, which is false. I’m always in L.A., I’m always in New York and Miami. And I’ve never had any reason to feel unsafe in America.” What do you think of Russell Simmons claiming that he's free to roam the U.S. amid his legal battle? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
