German police have opened a sexual assault investigation against Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann after a number of women have come forward with allegations against the singer.
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“Preliminary proceedings have been initiated against Till Lindemann on allegations relating to sexual offenses and the distribution of narcotics,” said a spokesperson for the Berlin public prosecution office in a statement in an Agence France-Presse report.
The investigation was opened “on the basis of several criminal complaints filed by third parties,” which refers to additional individuals not directly involved in the alleged incidents. Several women who attended concerts by the German industrial metal band have accused Lindemann of recruiting fans for sex during and after shows. The alleged interactions with Lindemann were originally reported by the German TV news show Tagesschau, following a previous report published by the Munich newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung.”
Mr. Lindemann, 60, denied the allegations, and his lawyers called the claims “without exception untrue.”
A 24-year-old woman from Northern Ireland, Shelby Lynn, first came forward with her encounter with Lindemann after she said she was allegedly “groomed” by a woman named Alena Makeeva, prior to the concert in Vilnius, Lithuania on Saturday (May 20). Before the band’s concert, Lynn claims that she was ushered into a room under the stage where she was joined by Lindemann.
[RELATED: Rammstein Singer Till Lindemann Accused of Recruiting Fans for Sex, Band Responds]
When she said she would not have sex with him, Lynn said the singer became angry but clarified that Lindemann never touched her. Lynn said that she was left bruised and vomiting for 24 hours following her encounter with the band that evening, which led her to believe that her drink may have been spiked earlier at the “pre-party.”
Lynn’s accusations triggered a wave of more sexual misconduct allegations and the cancellation of after-show parties for the band’s recent shows in Munich, in addition to their upcoming concerts in Berlin in July.
“The publications of the last few days have caused irritation and questions among the public and especially among our fans,” said the band in a statement. “The allegations hit us all very hard, and we take them extremely seriously. We say to our fans: It is important to us that you feel comfortable and safe at our shows—in front of and behind the stage.
The statement continued, “We condemn any kind of transgression and ask you: do not engage in public prejudice of any kind against those who have made allegations. You have a right to your point of view. But we, the band, also have a right – namely not to be prejudiced either.”
Rammstein’s European tour is currently running through Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Budapest, before returning to Berlin. The tour will continue with more dates in France, Austria, and Poland before wrapping up on Aug. 5 after three nights in Brussels, Belgium.
Photo: Isa Foltin/WireImage
