Russell Simmons has filed a $20 million lawsuit against HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery, and the producers of the 2020 documentary “On the Record,” alleging defamation, emotional distress and invasion of privacy for allegedly omitting exculpatory evidence and ignoring key testimony contradicting sexual assault claims. Simmons, who denies all allegations and now lives in Bali, argues that WarnerMedia executives knew of this evidence, and that civil rights leaders and Oprah Winfrey—who withdrew from the project—raised concerns about the film’s credibility.