L.A. Reid settles sexual assault lawsuit as trial was set to begin

Updated Jan. 12, 2026, 9:42 p.m. ET Music executive Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid has averted a trial by settling a 2023 lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault and harassment in the early 2000s. On Jan. 12, U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas signed an order, reviewed by USA TODAY, dismissing Drew Dixon's lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. Earlier that day, Dixon's and Reid's lawyers submitted a joint stipulation of voluntary dismissal. The trial was scheduled to begin the morning of Jan. 12. The terms of the parties' settlement were not made public. "Mr. Reid has amicably resolved this matter with Ms. Dixon without any admission of liability," Reid's attorney, Imran H. Ansari, said in a statement to USA TODAY. In a statement to USA TODAY, Kenya Davis, Dixon's attorney and partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, called Dixon "an extraordinarily talented music executive" and added that "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. I, for one, cannot wait to see what she does next." Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more! Describing Dixon as "one of the most courageous and outspoken supporters of survivors of sexual abuse," Davis said the Adult Survivors Act advocate "has helped shift the balance of power in the music industry, creating a path to justice for survivors." Davis concluded, "We would like to thank the many individuals who generously spent their time and energy getting prepared for the trial that would have begun today, including Roy Lott, John Legend, and Aku Orraca-Tetteh." Accuser Drew Dixon hopes for 'a safer music business' after lawsuit settlement Dixon, who has also alleged Russell Simmons raped her while she was an executive at Def Jam Records, has credits on Whitney Houston's album "My Love Is Your Love" and 1995's "The Show: The Soundtrack." In her 2023 lawsuit, Dixon claimed that Reid sexually assaulted her twice in 2001, when he was the CEO of Arista Records and she was vice president of A&R. After rejecting his advances, she alleged, he retaliated "by punishing the artists Ms. Dixon had already signed" and "blocking the artists she attempted to sign." In a statement shared by Davis, Dixon said, in part: "I hope my work as an advocate for the Adult Survivors Act helps to bring us closer to a safer music business for everyone. 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." The statement continued, "Music has always been my greatest source of comfort and joy. Even as a kid, I had an uncanny knack for predicting the next cool artist or album, the more eclectic the better. While I have focused on sexual assault advocacy in recent years, I have never stopped fighting for my place in this industry. I have big ideas for future projects that will be guided by creativity and integrity." Between 2022 and 2023, New York City's Adult Survivors Act gave victims of sexual abuse a one-year window for claims that would otherwise be barred by time limits. Reid, who helped skyrocket Usher, Mariah Carey and OutKast into new tiers of stardom, left his chairman post at Epic Records in May 2017, Variety reported at the time. Days later, Billboard reported that an employee had accused Reid of harassment. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.