Sexual Assault Investigation Into Rammstein’s Till Lindemann Dropped Over Lack of Evidence

Prosecutors in germany have dropped an investigation of Rammstein singer Till Lindemann after several women accused him of sexual assault.

In a statement, German prosecutors said the investigation “did not provide any evidence” to support the accusations made against Lindemann. But they also noted there was “little opportunity to substantiate the allegations sufficiently,” as most of the claims against Lindemann were brought by third parties or in the press.

Despite the claims being made publicly in this way — whether via the press or social media — prosecutors said that alleged victims “have so far not contacted” law enforcement. And though some had shared their stories with the press, as the prosecutors noted, the journalists who reported those stories have “invoked their right” to not give evidence and protect their sources.

A rep for Rammstein did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment. Per The Guardian, Lindemann’s lawyers said, “The rapid termination of investigative proceedings by the Berlin state prosecutor’s office shows that there is insufficient evidence that our client allegedly committed sexual offenses.”

The allegations against Lindemann first emerged in May, when a 24-year-old fan from Northern Ireland, Shelby Lynn, claimed someone named Alena Makeeva — who described herself as a “casting director on tour with Till Lindemann” — invited her to a special seating section at a Rammstein show in Vilnius, Lithuania. Lynn said she was later led beneath the stage, where Lindemann allegedly made an advance toward her that she rebuffed. Lindemann reportedly reacted angrily in response. 

Lynn also claimed that she felt like she’d been drugged after consuming a drink at a party but said a urine test later showed no signs of intoxication. After sharing her story, Lynn also clarified on social media that Lindemann “did NOT touch me. He accepted I did not want to have sex with him. I never claimed he raped me.”

After Lynn’s story went viral, though, other women came forward with similar stories about being approached by a casting director looking to arrange a rendezvous with Lindemann. One woman, identified anonymously as Kaya R., told the German paper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, that someone approached her and asked her to attend an after-party with Lindemann following a 2019 concert in Vienna. She said she drank a lot and passed out, and when she woke up, Lindemann was “on top” of her, having sex with her. Kaya said Lindemann asked if she wanted him to stop. She said she didn’t understand what was happening, and he left.

In their statement, the Berlin prosecutors addressed some of the accusations brought against Lindemann and why their investigations into these claims fell short. Regarding Lynn’s story, the prosecutors said there were “no concrete factual indications of sexual offenses.” And of claims brought by a woman named Kayla Shyx on YouTube, prosecutors said her allegations “remained too vague,” and that the “circumstances she described represent either conclusions from observations or have been described to her by others.” 

Prosecutors also addressed a claim made in the press that Lindemann had “entered into a sexual relationship” with a woman when she was 15. That claim “could also not be substantiated,” with prosecutors noting the witness chose to stay anonymous and therefore couldn’t be questioned.  

From Rolling Stone US.