Sean “Diddy” Combs, rapper and music mogul credited with serving to launch the careers of among the largest stars in recent times, now faces a number of civil lawsuits accusing him of intercourse trafficking, sexual abuse and rape.
Combs, previously generally known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and lots of different names, has undergone myriad reinventions for the reason that begin of his profession – however has since entered an unwelcome new “period.”
Federal brokers from the US Homeland Safety raided two of the rapper’s properties in Los Angeles and Miami on March 25, as he faces a collection of assorted costs.
Combs, 54, has strongly denied all allegations towards him. His legal professionals have referred to as the lawsuits and their accusations of cash grabs “baseless” or “sickening.”
The artist has not been formally charged or accused by federal prosecutors of any crime.
The brand new lawsuits come months after Combs’ former companion, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, filed a lawsuit towards him in November. She accused him of raping her in 2018, beating her, asking her to hold a gun to “make her really feel uncomfortable and to indicate her how harmful he was” and of forcing her into “undesirable sexual relations with male intercourse staff”.
Ms. Ventura’s lawsuit towards Combs was settled a day after she filed it for an undisclosed sum of money.
The various allegations in Combs’ lawsuits date again to the Nineteen Nineties, when he based his personal label, Unhealthy Boy Information.
All allegations towards Sean “Diddy” Combs:
The case towards the rapper started on November 16, 2023 when he was sued by singer and dancer Cassie, his former companion, who alleged years of abuse.
It was filed underneath the New York Grownup Survivors Act, simply earlier than it expired. This legislation offered grownup victims of sexual assault with one yr to file a civil motion, whatever the statute of limitations.
Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura
R&B singer Cassie, whose full identify is Casandra Ventura, filed a lawsuit in 2023 alleging she was trafficked, raped and overwhelmed by Combs repeatedly over 10 years.
Her lawsuit claimed that Combs lured the singer into her “ostentatious, fast-paced, drug-fueled way of life” shortly after she met him, and signed him to her label in 2005, when she was solely 19 and he was 37.
Ms Ventura stated the abuse started early of their relationship and that when she tried to finish it in 2018, he compelled his means into her Los Angeles residence and raped her.
The lawsuit towards Combs was settled a day after she filed it for an undisclosed sum of money.
Ms. Ventura informed CNN she selected to “resolve this matter amicably,” whereas Combs’ legal professional stated the settlement was “on no account an admission of wrongdoing” and altered nothing in his denial of the allegations.
His costs towards Combs had been introduced by means of the New York Grownup Survivors Act (ASA), which expired at midnight on November 23, 2023.
The legislation gave survivors a one-year window to file a civil go well with, no matter when the abuse happened, which means incidents that happened over a long time had been lastly delivered to gentle.
Greater than 2,500 circumstances had been filed underneath the ASA earlier than it expired at midnight on November 23, 2023, in line with court docket knowledge despatched to The unbiased watch.
Survivors have filed lawsuits towards among the strongest males within the state, together with main leisure gamers reminiscent of Invoice Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, Axl Rose and Combs.
Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones
In the newest lawsuit towards Combs, filed on February 26, 2024 in New York, producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, alleged that he was “subjected to undesirable advances from associates of Diddy underneath his orders” and that he had been compelled to take care of relations with Combs. with the intercourse staff Combs had employed.
The producer, who labored for Combs between September 2022 and November 2023, claimed that Combs sexually harassed, drugged and threatened him for greater than a yr.
He stated he had video and audio proof of Combs, his group and others “participating in severe criminality.” The lawsuit recognized rapper 50 Cent’s former girlfriend and the mom of considered one of his youngsters, Daphne Pleasure, as one of many alleged intercourse staff.
The lawsuit additionally alleges that Combs frequently hosted “intercourse trafficking events” with underage ladies and unlawful medication, and implies that document firm executives who appeared the opposite means benefited financially from entry to celebrities and dignitaries. , together with British Royal Prince Harry.
Prince Harry isn’t accused of any wrongdoing or of attending any events himself.
Combs’ lawyer stated The Los Angeles Instances that the lawsuit comprises “careless naming of occasions which are pure fiction and easily didn’t occur.”
Ryan Mendelsohn, 20, who lived within the space the place Combs’ Los Angeles property was searched, informed reporters he would see home events and girls exterior till 6 a.m. , which was not common.
“I drive by rather a lot, and I see this — loads of ladies, possibly 5 or 6 ladies exterior, some go away, some don’t, some are available,” he stated, in line with NBC Information.
“I by no means considered it,” stated Mr. Mendelsohn, who added that he didn’t know Combs lived there till the information broke on Monday. “However now it’s loopy.”
Pleasure Dickerson-Neal
In November 2023, Joie Dickerson-Neal filed a lawsuit alleging that Combs drugged her, sexually assaulted her and secretly recorded the assault whereas she was a scholar in 1991, NBC Information reported, citing the submitting.
She claimed that Combs pressured her to go to dinner with him and she or he “reluctantly” agreed on January 3, 1991, the date she alleges she was drugged, “which put her in a bodily state the place she couldn’t couldn’t stand or stroll independently. ”, reported the BBC.
The lawsuit additionally claims he recorded the assault and confirmed it to different folks.
She then filed police experiences in New York and New Jersey, spoke to prosecutors, however her colleagues informed her they had been “terrified that Combs would possibly retaliate towards them and that they’d lose future enterprise and musical alternatives in the event that they made a press release in favor of her, NBC Information reported, citing the lawsuit.
Extra ladies are coming ahead
Since November, three different ladies have filed lawsuits within the Southern District of New York alleging they had been sexually assaulted by Combs, in line with NBC Information.
Two of the ladies stated they had been youngsters on the time of the alleged assaults.
Nameless requester
In November, an nameless plaintiff accused Combs and singer-songwriter Aaron Corridor of raping her and a pal in 1990 or 1991 after assembly at an MCA Information occasion in New York , the place the singers “had been very flirtatious and sensible” and supplied them drinks. reported Rolling Stone.
The go well with alleges that Combs and Corridor invited the ladies to Corridor’s condominium for an afterparty throughout which the plaintiff “was supplied extra drinks and was compelled to have intercourse with Combs,” and was then “shocked and traumatized”, earlier than “Corridor burst into the room. , cornered her and compelled Jane Doe to have intercourse with him,” in line with Rolling Stone.
After talking to her pal, the plaintiff allegedly found that she had additionally “been compelled to have intercourse with Combs and Corridor in one other room,” in line with the go well with.
A couple of days later, Combs allegedly visited the plaintiff and her pal at a house the place they had been staying, the place he grew to become “indignant and started assaulting and choking Jane Doe to the purpose that she handed out.” , in line with the lawsuit.
Nameless accuser “Jane Doe”
In December, Combs was the topic of one other lawsuit that claimed he drugged and gang raped a 17-year-old lady in 2003.
The plaintiff, recognized as Jane Doe, accused Combs of abusing her with medication and alcohol at his New York studio, then raping her and two associates.
The go well with accused Combs of a “intercourse trafficking scheme,” during which Jane Doe was flown by non-public jet from her residence in Michigan to New York.
Combs’ response to the allegations
Sean Combs has strongly denied all accusations towards him and vowed to “battle for my identify, my household and for the reality.”
In a December assertion following Jane Doe’s lawsuit, he referred to as the claims “sickening” and stated her accusers had been “on the lookout for a fast payday.”
“Let me be completely clear: I didn’t do any of the horrible issues alleged,” he stated in a press release. “I’ll battle for my identify, my household and for the reality.”
Combs’ legal professional, Shawn Holley, referred to as the occasions described within the lawsuit “pure fiction.”
“Now we have overwhelming and indeniable proof that his claims are full lies,” he stated. “We are going to study these wild allegations in court docket and take all acceptable motion towards those that make them. »
Following the settlement with Ventura, Ben Brafman, one other legal professional for Combs, stated The unbiased: “To be clear, a call to settle a lawsuit, particularly in 2023, is on no account an admission of wrongdoing.
“Mr. Combs’ choice to settle the lawsuit on no account calls into query his categorical denial of the allegations.
“He’s happy that they’ve reached a mutual settlement and desires Ms. Ventura the perfect.”
