UPDATE: HBO has seemingly taken the first step in what could be the end of their relationship with Simmons, and he will no longer appear on Def Comedy Jam reboot, All Def Comedy. 

“HBO will be airing All Def Comedy as planned. However, Russell Simmons will not appear in the new series and we will be removing his name from the show moving forward.  The series is a platform for promising and upcoming comedians and we do not want to deprive them of an opportunity to showcase their talents to a national audience.  We have no other projects with Russell Simmons.” He has been in overall deal with the network since 2015, but has been producing content there since the early 90s.

Previously reported:

Russell Simmons is stepping down from his companies after a new sexual assault claim from award-winning screenwriter Jenny Lumet.

Most known for writing Rachel Getting Married, she is the daughter of acclaimed director Sidney Lumet and the granddaughter of groundbreaking singer-actress Lena Horne.

Lumet penned an open letter to Simmons, detailing her claim for The Hollywood Reporter. She says Simmons assaulted her after assumed she was getting a ride home from him, but the car went to his apartment instead.

The open letter, which you can read in full at THR, reads in part, “You moved me into a bedroom. I said “Wait.” You said nothing. I made the trade in my mind. I thought “just keep him calm and you’ll get home.” Maybe another person would have thought differently, or not made the trade. It was dark, but not pitch dark. You closed the door. At that point, I simply did what I was told.”

In response to Lumet’s allegations, Simmons sent a letter saying he was stepping down from his businesses to “commit myself to continuing my personal growth, spiritual learning and above all to listening.”

He said: “I know Jenny and her family and have seen her several times over the years since the evening she described. While her memory of that evening is very different from mine, it is now clear to me that her feelings of fear and intimidation are real. While I have never been violent, I have been thoughtless and insensitive in some of my relationships over many decades and I sincerely apologize. As the corridors of power inevitably make way for a new generation, I don’t want to be a distraction so I am removing myself from the businesses that I founded.”

Simmons was also accused of sexual assault earlier this month by Keri Claussen Khalighi.