Russell Brand denies ‘criminal allegations’ related to his ‘promiscuous past’
By Dan Heching, CNN
(CNN) — Russell Brand is defending himself against what he described as “very serious criminal allegations” related to his past.
In a video shared on social media Friday, the actor, comedian and author preemptively denied claims he said he received in a “letter and an email” from “mainstream media TV company” and “newspaper.” Brand did not identify the organizations by name, but said the communications listed “a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks.”
“Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks, are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute,” Brand said in his video.
On Saturday, British outlets The Sunday Times, The Times and Channel 4 “Dispatches” published a joint investigation in which four women alleged Brand sexually assaulted them in separate instances between the years 2006 and 2013. One of the women said she was 16 and Brand was 31 at the time of the alleged assault in London.
The women chose not to be identified by name in the report, according to the The Times. CNN has not been able to independently verify their claims.
The literary agency Tavistock Wood, who had been listed as Brand’s representative, told CNN on Saturday that “Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him. TW has terminated all professional ties to Brand.”
At least two of the alleged assaults took place in Los Angeles. One woman was treated at a rape treatment center the same day as the alleged assault, according to the report. Police were contacted by the center, the story stated, but the woman chose not to file a report because she “didn’t think my words would mean anything up against his,” according to notes from the rape center the woman shared with The Times.
“These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies. And as I’ve written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous,” Brand said in his video. “Now during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely, always consensual.”
Brand has written and spoken extensively about his past treatment for drug and sex addiction, along with mental health. He has built a digital platform around wellness in recent years.
“I was always transparent about that then — almost too transparent. And I’m being transparent about it now as well. And to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal, that I absolutely deny, makes me question is there another agenda at play?” Brand added in his video.
He alleged he was being “attacked” by the publications in an effort to control his voice.
“I don’t mind them using my books and my stand-up to talk about my promiscuous, consensual conduct in the past,” Brand said. “What I seriously refute are these very, very, serious criminal allegations.”
The-CNN-Wire
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