Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine is being sued over alleged sexual misconduct and abuse. A summons for Iovine was filed today in Supreme Court of the State of New York County by attorneys for a woman identified as Jane Doe. Doe claims that she was “sexually abused, forcibly touched, and subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation” in August 2007. The lawsuit against Iovine is for assault and battery, as well as violations of the New York City Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act and the New York City Human Right Law.
A spokesperson for Iovine told Rolling Stone that they were “shocked and baffled” by the summons. “This inquiry is the first we’ve heard of this matter,” they said. “No one has ever made a claim like this against Jimmy Iovine, nor have we been contacted or made aware of any complaint by anyone, including this unknown plaintiff prior to now.”
Only the summons has been filed; the lawsuit itself is forthcoming. Doe’s attorney offered no further comment. Pitchfork has reached out to Iovine’s attorney for comment.
In addition to his work with Interscope, Iovine co-founded Beats Electronics with Dr. Dre. He and Dre are the subjects of the 2017 documentary series The Defiant Ones. Last year, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a speech by Bruce Springsteen.