Kevin Liles dodged a career-threatening authorized blow in New York after a federal decide dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit tied to his time main Def Jam, citing a long-buried 2005 settlement from Universal music Group that successfully shielded him from the claims.

The lawsuit, filed in February by a girl recognized solely as Jane Doe, accused Kevin Liles of sexually harassing, groping and raping her in 2002 whereas she labored as his government assistant.

Liles, who served as president of Def Jam from 1999 to 2004, denied the allegations outright, calling them “patently false” and insisting he has “always treated people right, especially women.”

But U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald dominated Monday that the case couldn’t transfer ahead due to a previous settlement between Doe and UMG.

In 2005, the label paid her $47,500 to settle a criticism she filed with New York state regulators, alleging she was fired after reporting verbal harassment and inappropriate dancing by Liles.

That criticism didn’t point out rape, however the decide stated the settlement’s language coated all attainable claims from that point.

“The agreement and release itself contains no language cabining its terms at all,” Buchwald wrote based on Billboard. “To the contrary, the agreement consistently and intentionally utilizes broad language discharging ‘any and all’ claims which ‘are known or reasonably should be known’ by plaintiff.”

The court docket dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, which implies Doe can not refile or amend the case.

The ruling successfully shut the door on any future authorized motion tied to the identical occasions. The choice turned what might have been a dangerous authorized battle right into a closed chapter for the music government.

This wasn’t the one accusation Liles confronted this 12 months.

In a separate incident, he publicly accused rapper Lady Luck of making an attempt to extort him for $30 million by threatening to publish a ebook and file a lawsuit crammed with “utterly false and horrendous allegations.”

Lady Luck had been signed to Def Jam throughout Liles’ management.

Liles’ affect in Hip-Hop spans a long time. After exiting Def Jam in 2004, he co-founded 300 Entertainment in 2012 with Lyor Cohen, Roger Gold and Todd Moscowitz.

The label helped launch the careers of Megan Thee Stallion, Migos and Young Thug earlier than being bought to Warner music Group for $400 million in 2021.

He stepped down as CEO of 300 in 2024 and left Warner music Group later that 12 months. While he’s saved a low profile since, trade sources say he’s exploring new ventures outdoors the music enterprise.

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