RushCard lowers Simmons’ profile

The owner of popular prepaid debit card brand RushCard is distancing itself from the brand’s cofounder, Russell Simmons, in the wake of new sexual misconduct allegations against the hip-hop impresario.

Green Dot Corp., a Pasadena card company that acquired RushCard owner UniRush this year, said in a statement late Wednesday that it would remove photos of Simmons from the RushCard website, “given the seriousness of these allegations and out of respect for all parties.”

The company made the move after a Times report Wednesday in which five women accused him of sexual misconduct, including rape.

The Times had previously reported allegations against Simmons by model Keri Claussen Khalighi and screenwriter Jenny Lumet.

By Thursday afternoon, Simmons’ photo had been removed from the RushCard site, as had references to Simmons on the company’s “about us” page.

Simmons, one of the founders of record label Def Jam Recordings, cofounded RushCard in 2003 and maintained an ownership stake until the sale to Green Dot.

He has not been involved with the company or Green Dot since the acquisition was finalized in February, a Green Dot spokesman said. Still, Green Dot saw value in Simmons’ continuing connection to the brand when it agreed to pay $147 million for the company.

“Having [Simmons’] name associated with RushCard is a big reason why we are buying it,” Green Dot Chief Executive Steven Streit said when the deal was announced.

In an Instagram post Thursday, Simmons, whose handle is “unclerush,” said he is “innocent of all rape charges.”