Former Def Jam employee sues the company and ex-President Kevin Liles for alleged s*xual assault

Kevin Liles, former president of Def Jam Recordings, has been sued for alleged s*xual assault. A former employee filed a lawsuit against Liles on Thursday, February 27, making allegations. Notably, the company is known for launching the careers of rappers like D'Angelo and Young Thug.

According to documents obtained by TMZ, the employee claimed that Liles physically assaulted her in 2002, leading to years of s*xual harassment. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, filed a complaint under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law.

She has reportedly named both Def Jam and Lyles as defendants in the case. While the alleged assault would typically fall outside the statute of limitations, a 2022 amendment to the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law permits plaintiffs to pursue cases until March 1, 2025.

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Jane Doe accuses Kevin Liles of alleged inappropriate touching and forcing himself

Kevin Liles hasn't said anything as of yet (Image via Getty)

In a recently filed complaint, R&B and hip-hop executive Kevin Liles has been accused of r*pe and s*xual abuse. The lawsuit, filed in the New York Supreme Court by an unnamed woman, also names Def Jam Recordings and its parent company Universal Music Group (UMG) as defendants.

Kevin Liles served as the president of Def Jam Records from 1999 to 2004. Since then, he has held senior roles at Warner Music Group and other labels. He co-founded 300 Entertainment and serves as its CEO at the moment.

As per the lawsuit, Jane Doe was employed by Def Jam in 1999 as an executive assistant to the general manager. She alleged that shortly after she started working at the label, Liles started s*xually harassing her.

The complaint further alleged that Kevin Liles made "derogatory and degrading remarks about her body and appearance based on her gender." The alleged victim claimed that by 2000, the alleged harassment escalated, with him reportedly grabbing her and pressing his body against her without consent.

In one incident in 2002, Jane Doe alleged that Liles approached her with advances, which she rejected. She added that despite her continuing resistance, he then harassed her physically.

As per TMZ’s February 27 report, the lawsuit further stated:

“Kevin Liles proceeded to physically force himself on top of [Jane Doe] where he began to s*xually assault and ultimately r*pe her despite her continued protests..”

The lawsuit also accused Def Jam and UMG of permitting Liles' alleged misconduct. The plaintiff claimed that UMG and Def Jam were involved in the complaint because the labels "now only knew or should have known" about the executive's "propensity to commit the aforementioned crimes of violence," but they also permitted his interactions with lower-level staff.

Lucas B. Franken, a partner at Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC and Jane Doe's lawyer, told Variety in a statement on February 27:

“We commend our client for her determination to seek justice for the s*xual abuse she endured, as well as the sheer bravery it took to come forward against a well-known, celebrity figure…”

He continued:

“In our lengthy experience defending s*xual abuse victims, we have witnessed a common thread and that is that they are often not alone in their abuse. Based on the violent and egregious conduct, we expect that others were also abused, and we hope that they can also come forward to share their experiences and pursue justice.”

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This is not the first time Kevin Liles has been implicated in allegations of abuse. In 2023, Liles was named as a defendant in a $25 million s*xual assault lawsuit against his client, singer Trey Songz. The lawsuit's plaintiff, Jane Doe, asserted that Liles disregarded Songz's assault charges over time. The following year, the lawsuit was settled.

Meanwhile, Variety's request for comment was not answered by representatives of UMG or Def Jam.