Syracuse native Kelly Cutrone says Russell Simmons tried to rape her

Syracuse native Kelly Cutrone, left, has accused music mogul Russell Simmons of attempted rape.(The Associated Press)

Syracuse native Kelly Cutrone has come forward as the 13th woman accusing music mogul Russell Simmons of sexual misconduct.

Cutrone, a New York fashion publicist known for reality TV shows "The Hills" on "America's Next Top Model," told Page Six that Simmons attempted to rape her in 1991. She was 26 years old at the time and he was 34.

"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 the publication late Thursday.

"And I started kicking him really, really hard, screaming, telling him to get the f--- off of me. And that I would have him killed if he ever f---ing laid a hand on me."

Cutrone ran out and left in a cab, wondering whether or not to call the police. She ultimately decided not to, saying the idea of "pressing charges against him was overwhelming to me."

A friend of Cutrone's told Page Six that she remembers Cutrone telling her at the time that Simmons allegedly attacked her. Cutrone said she also repeated the allegations numerous times over the years, such as when the Def Jam Recordings founder would approach her at social events.

"I hope he chokes on his om pendant," Cutrone said.

She also posted a photo on Instagram that said #MeToo and #YesYou.

Cutrone's story resembles accusations by a dozen other women. Three women told the New York Times this week that Simmons raped them; screenwriter Jenny Lumet, the daughter of filmmaker Sidney Lumet, told The Hollywood Reporter that he allegedly forced her to have sex with him in 1991; and model Keri Claussen Khalighi told the Los Angeles Times last month that Simmons allegedly raped her when she was 17 while director Brett Ratner, also accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women, watched.

Simmons, 60, has "vehemently" denied allegations of wrongdoing and insists all of his relationships have been consensual. He's also suggested some of his accusers were financially motivated, claiming one woman tried to extort him for $500,000.

"While I have never been violent, I have been thoughtless and insensitive in some of my relationships over many decades and I sincerely and humbly apologize," Simmons said in a statement last month when he stepped down from his hip-hop record label and his position as CEO of Rush Communications.

Cutrone, 52, grew up in Camillus and graduated from West Genesee High School and Syracuse University. Her father Lee Blanding III, who died in 2010, was a police commissioner in Camillus and a town board member; Central New Yorkers may best remember him for once proposing Camillus form its own county.

Cutrone moved to NYC after college and has become well-known in the entertainment industry for founding the fashion-focused public relations firm People's Revolution. She appeared on MTV's "The Hills" and was a "cutthroat" judge on five seasons of "America's Next Top Model"; she also once had her own TV series "Kell on Earth" on Bravo in 2010 and has released two memoirs, titled "If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You" and "Normal Gets You Nowhere."

She told Page Six she was inspired to come forward after Simmons repeatedly denied allegations against him and tried to "properly defend himself" by starting a #NotMe hashtag on social media Thursday.

Dozens in the entertainment industry, politics and beyond have been accused of sexual misconduct as part of the #MeToo movement. Since fallout began over film produer Harvey Weinstein, big names accused include actor Kevin Spacey, TV host Matt Lauer, celebrity chef Mario Batali, and Sen. Al Franken.

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