L.A. Reid Settles Sexual Assault Lawsuit

In late 2023, L.A. Reid was sued for sexual assault and harassment by Drew Dixon, a former executive at Arista Records, where Reid served as president from 2000 to 2004. Today, the music industry mogul settled the lawsuit last-minute to avert the jury trial.

Dixon claimed that Reid assaulted her twice and that rejecting Reid’s advances led to retaliation against her by causing her to miss out on signing or developing artists such as John Legend. She left the company in 2002. The allegations followed Reid being removed as chairman and CEO of Epic Records due to sexual harassment accusations in 2017.

The trial was slated to start today in New York federal court, and stars like John Legend were supposed to testify. Dixon’s lead attorney, Kenya Davis, said in a statement (per Billboard):

Drew Dixon is an extraordinarily talented music executive, and this resolution will empower her to move forward with her creative pursuits — on her own terms — with her reputation, her voice and her career reaffirmed.

Dixon herself added, “In a world where good news is often hard to find, I hope for survivors that today is a ray of light peeking through the clouds.”

Reid’s attorney, Imran H. Ansari of Aidala, Bertuna & Kamins, PC, said in a statement, “Mr. Reid has amicably resolved this matter with Ms. Dixon without any admission of liability.”