Russell Simmons, who currently faces over a dozen accusations of sexual misconduct up to and including rape allegations, has begun selling off his private properties.
A new article from the Hollywood Reporter details the disturbing trend: In May, Simmons listed his Manhattan penthouse at 114 Liberty St. for $9.92 million. This month, he’s listed his “five-bedroom, eight-bathroom 6,000-square-foot Spanish-style home in L.A.’s Hollywood Hills for $8.25 million,” and announced plans to shutter his Tantris Yoga Studio, opened in West Hollywood in 2016. (In November of last year Simmons announced he was stepping down from his various companies: All Def Digital, Def Pictures and Tantris, telling press he was dedicating himself to “personal growth, spiritual learning and above all to listening.” He went to Bali as assault allegations mounted.)
A spokesperson for Simmons offered the following:
“Russell divested himself of his active U.S. business interests last year to focus on his spiritual practice and serving his community. As part of that journey, Russell has traveled to many spiritual destinations around the world but continues to retain active family presence and residence in the U.S.”
Escaping to a faraway land after facing (or not really facing) serial sexual misconduct allegations might sound familiar—just this week disgraced Today show host Matt Lauer brawled with the New Zealand government after learning hikers were crossing through his massive 16,000 acre ranch to get to the adjacent Hawea Conservation Park.
