LOS ANGELES _ Embattled music mogul Russell Simmons took to Twitter on Sunday to respond to allegations that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old model in 1991.
"I completely and unequivocally deny the horrendous allegations of non-consensual sex against me with every fiber of my being," he said in the statement.
Simmons, 60, has been accused by model Keri Claussen Khalighi of coercing her into performing oral sex on him in 1991 as his former protege Brett Ratner watched.
"Everything that happened between us 26 years ago was completely consensual and with Keri's full participation," Simmons said in the statement. "Abusing women in any way, shape or form violates the very core of my being."
According to Khalighi, the 1991 incident took place at Simmons' New York City apartment after he pulled off her clothing.
"I looked over at Brett and said 'help me' and I'll never forget the look on his face," she told the Los Angeles Times. "In that moment, the realization fell on me that they were in it together."
The Beverly Hills Police Department investigated Simmons and Ratner in a similar incident in 2001.
Also Sunday, Terry Crews said he received an email from Simmons asking the actor to give "a pass" to the agent Crews claims assaulted him.
"No one gets a pass," Crews wrote on Twitter.
