Kelly Cutrone Claims Russell Simmons Tried to Rape Her in 1991

The fashion publicist told Page Six that the music mogul attacked her in his apartment in 1991.

One day after reports in The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times revealed several new claims of sexual assault and misconduct against Russell Simmons, former reality show star and fashion publicist Kelly Cutrone is coming forward with her own story.

Cutrone on Thursday told Page Six that Simmons tried to rape her in 1991 in his apartment. The two were casual acquaintances at the time, and when they met at a party, Cutrone says Simmons tried to invite her back to his apartment, which she declined. When he suggested they go to a friend's house, she agreed, though she says Simmons led her to his home instead. “He pushed me into his apartment and then he threw me down on the floor and literally tried to grab … take my clothes off of me,” she told Page Six. “And I started kicking him really, really hard, screaming, telling him to get the f–k off of me. And that I would have him killed if he ever f–king laid a hand on me.”

After the alleged encounter, Cutrone said she ran out of the apartment and called a cab. Cutrone says that after the incident, the idea of going to the police felt "overwhelming," though she did tell a friend, Tatijana Shoan, about the encounter.

Cutrone told Page Six that she was inspired to tell her story because of Simmons' recent denial of stories of sexual assault and harassment that he has been charged with. On Thursday morning, he posted on Instagram that he would "begin to properly defend myself" alongside a picture of a #NotMe hashtag, apparently in an attempt to counter the #MeToo movement.

Cutrone posted an image to her Instagram account of the words "#MeToo #YesYou," in response to Simmons' #NotMe post, directing people to the Page Six story.

A sergeant with the New York Police Department told The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday that detectives are in the initial stages into investigations of claims of assault by Simmons in the city. "The NYPD has received information regarding allegations involving Russell Simmons in the NYC area, and our detectives are in the process of reviewing that information," Sgt. Brendan Ryan said.