Comedian Jeff Ross Denies Having a Sexual Relationship With a Minor

Comedian Jeff Ross is denying that he had a sexual relationship with a minor after a woman's allegations resurfaced on social media

By Pamela Avila Jun 24, 2020 12:36 AMTags
Jeff RossGregory Pace/Shutterstock

Comedian Jeff Ross is denying that he had a sexual relationship with a minor. 

"It's taken a lot of discipline for me not to respond until now because I believe this is a mental health issue—and I support people when they are hurting. But let me be clear, these disgusting allegations asserted against me are absolutely not true," Ross wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. "I have never engaged in any sexual relationship with a minor." 

The 54-year-old comedian's response was prompted after allegations made by a woman, who shared the claims under the Facebook screenname Iwas15hewas33, resurfaced recently on social media.

The woman alleges that she was in a relationship with Ross beginning in 1999, when she was 15 years old and he was 33.

Her allegations, which were made in a video posted on October 2019 to Facebook, included rape and child pornography and claimed Ross took explicit photos of her with a Polaroid camera. 

"This story is old news," he said. "It has been investigated numerous times and thoroughly reviewed and never published. The witnesses and evidence do not support these despicable allegations. The person making these allegations has falsely accused others and has a documented history of drug abuse." 

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Ross expressed that the woman's best friend at the time did "not support her allegations." 

"Her husband, who is clearly assisting her, has been convicted of a crime involving dishonesty," Ross continued. "They have been harassing me for years. Rather than continue on with reciting even more evidence that refutes this nonsense, I will just say that I am hopeful that this person gets help for her mental health issues." 

In a Facebook post published on October 8, 2019, the woman alleges that she originally made the allegations on November 27, 2005 for a writing class in college. 

"This is me attempting to first try and process this in a very real way," the Facebook status read. "I also showed Jeff a copy of this as I was still trying to convince myself I could make this okay. I have only recently realized just how fucked up this all is, and was—I seriously do not want any predator to ever get away with stuff like this. In this paper I downplay the abuse and NEVER mention rape. I've not said that word until this past year or so. I did not want to admit I had been defeated, wrong & raped in my sleep when I refused to sleep with him while awake. I also am not 'thankful' as mentioned in the end of this piece. I am f-cking traumatized."

The accuser's essay can be read here in full.

Watch: Justin Bieber Denies Sexual Assault Accusations

In his statement, the comedian also said that he intends to take legal action "based on these untrue horrific allegations because no one, no matter how sick they are, should be allowed to continue to try and benefit from false stories while attempting to destroy others." 

"The dangerous environment currently being exposed at the comedy clubs is real," Ross said. "I wholeheartedly support change, and vow to do more to make my community safer for everyone. Although this accusation is false, I want there to be no doubt of my commitment to victims of sexual assault." 

E! News has reached out to the accuser. 

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