Whereas Sean “Diddy” Combs has fervently denied ex-girlfriend Cassie’s rape and assault allegations, a number of girls have come ahead with related claims of alleged misconduct by the music mogul.
Us Weekly confirmed in November 2023 that Cassie (actual identify Casandra Ventura) filed a lawsuit towards Diddy, accusing him of rape and repeated bodily abuse that lasted almost a decade. Cassie and Diddy dated on and off from 2007 to 2018.
“After years in silence and darkness, I’m lastly prepared to inform my story, and to talk up on behalf of myself and for the advantage of different girls who face violence and abuse of their relationships,” Cassie stated in an announcement.
Cassie’s legal professional Douglas Wigdor additionally alleged that Diddy supplied his consumer “eight figures” in a bid to “silence her.” Cassie denied his supposed payday.
Nicholas Hunt/Getty Photos Sean “Diddy” Combs and ex-girlfriend Cassie weathered many ups and downs throughout their romance earlier than parting methods for good in 2018. Whereas Cassie (actual identify Cassandra Ventura) has since married Alex Positive and develop into a mom, her relationship with Diddy hasn’t stopped making headlines. The New York Occasions reported in November 2023 […]
Diddy refuted Cassie’s allegations in an announcement offered by his lawyer. “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” Ben Brafman advised Us. “For the previous six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, beneath the specter of writing a dangerous e book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail. Regardless of withdrawing her preliminary risk, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to submitting a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’s repute and in search of a payday.”
Following Cassie’s grievance, a number of different girls got here ahead with new or previous accusations, together with Danity Kane’s Aubrey O’Day and Kimora Lee Simmons.
In March 2024, a number of of Diddy’s houses, together with properties in Miami and Los Angeles, have been raided by Homeland Safety in connection to a intercourse trafficking investigation.
A rep for each Cassie and an nameless plaintiff suing Diddy launched an announcement in response to the raids: “We are going to at all times assist legislation enforcement when it seeks to prosecute people who have violated the legislation. Hopefully, that is the start of a course of that can maintain Mr. Combs accountable for his wicked conduct.”
Hold studying for extra particulars in regards to the allegations towards Diddy:
Cassie
Cassie’s lawsuit got here with a “set off warning” discover on the prime, noting that her claims contained “extremely graphic info of a sexual nature.” Cassie asserted in her submitting that Diddy usually tried to manage her after they have been relationship by taking medication, bodily hurting her and forcing her to have intercourse with male prostitutes on digital camera. She additionally claimed that Diddy pressured his approach into her dwelling in 2018 and sexually assaulted her.
In accordance with Cassie, Diddy additionally threatened to explode Child Cudi’s automobile. Cudi, who Cassie began relationship throughout one among her splits from Diddy, corroborated her claims to The New York Occasions. Cudi’s rep asserted that the rapper’s car did explode after Diddy’s warning.
Diddy denied all of Cassie’s claims.
Someday after submitting the lawsuit, Cassie confirmed to Us by her legal professional Douglas Wigdor that she and Diddy had reached a settlement.
“I’ve determined to resolve this matter amicably on phrases that I’ve some degree of management,” the November 17 assertion learn. “I need to thank my household, followers and attorneys for his or her unwavering assist.”
Diddy additionally launched an announcement distributed by Window, telling Us, “We have now determined to resolve this matter amicably. I want Cassie and her household all the most effective. Love.”
Following the settlement, legal professional Neama Rahmani completely advised Us that the case was seemingly settled so shortly was as a result of “Cassie ran out of time,” noting that a few of her allegations have been “a bit of bit older.”
Rahmani went on to elucidate {that a} New York statute of limitations legislation about submitting civil lawsuits and sexual assault instances was set to shut days after Cassie’s submitting. “Cassie was up towards the clock and the events actually have been unable to finalize their negotiations earlier than that window was going to shut,” he shared. “So, she was pressured to file a lawsuit.”
Almost six months after the duo settled their lawsuit, CNN obtained video footage of Diddy allegedly assaulting Cassie in 2016. Within the clip, Diddy wore solely a towel and appeared to seize Cassie by her neck.
“The gut-wrenching video has solely additional confirmed the disturbing and predatory conduct of Mr. Combs,” Wigdor advised Us in an announcement after the footage resurfaced. “Phrases can not specific the braveness and fortitude that Ms. Ventura has proven in coming ahead to carry this to gentle.”
Diddy later apologized for his actions. “My conduct on that video is inexcusable. I take full duty for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted,” he stated through Instagram. “I went and sought out skilled assist. I’ve been going to remedy, going to rehab. Needed to ask God for his mercy and style. I’m so sorry, however I’m dedicated to being a greater man every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m really sorry.”
Kimora Lee Simmons
In 2004, a then-pregnant Simmons was profiled by New York journal when she attended the Manhattan Metropolis Heart’s profit efficiency of The Owl and the Pussycat. The interview referred to an alleged earlier incident the place “Kimora stated one thing to Combs and he threatened to hit her.” Per the profile, Diddy “finally obtained down on his knees” to publicly apologize.
Kimora Lee, who was married to Russell Simmons on the time, accepted Diddy’s apology. “I respect him for being a fierce entrepreneur and I admire figuring out that every thing he does is emulating my husband,” she advised the outlet.
Whereas Hollywood might seem like all glitz and glam on the floor, the business has seen its justifiable share of scandals by the years. The New York Occasions and the New Yorker first revealed investigative items in 2017 that accused disgruntled film producer Harvey Weinstein of many years of sexual assault and harassment. Quickly after, Weinstein stood trial and was […]
Gina Huynh
Huynh, often known as Virginia V, claimed throughout a 2019 interview on “Unwine With Tasha Ok” that Diddy bodily assaulted her at one level throughout their five-year relationship.
“He stomped on my abdomen actually laborious — like, took the wind out of my breath,” she alleged. “I couldn’t breathe. He stored hitting me. I used to be pleading to him, ‘Are you able to simply cease? I can’t breathe.’”
In accordance with Huynh, Diddy additionally grabbed her by the hair and began “punching” the again of her head. “He was mentally, emotionally and bodily abusing me. He would at all times examine me to Cassie and inform me that I’m the unhealthy one, she’s a very good one,” added Huynh.
Diddy by no means publicly addressed Huynh’s claims.
Aubrey O’Day
O’Day first crossed paths with Diddy when she auditioned for his MTV collection Making the Band 3. Diddy selected her to begin Danity Kane alongside Daybreak Richard, Shannon Bex, D. Woods and Aundrea Fimbres. The lady group was instantly signed to Diddy’s label Unhealthy Boy Data. Throughout Making the Band 4, Diddy revealed that O’Day had been kicked out of the band however claimed there was no unhealthy blood.
O’Day beforehand advised Us her facet of the story in July 2019.
“Diddy broke us up within the top of our fame on nationwide tv, on MTV,” she claimed to Us. “I need to discuss what we’re going by as a result of I believe what Danity Kane has gone by since then is so highly effective for ladies, for folks, for artists. We have now needed to study every thing the laborious approach since we have been damaged up by [Diddy] on nationwide tv.”
Throughout a 2022 interview on Alex Cooper’s “Name Her Daddy” podcast, O’Day claimed she was fired from Danity Kane as a result of she “wasn’t prepared to do what was anticipated of [her] — not talent-wise, however in different areas.” In September 2023, O’Day additional claimed that Diddy requested her to signal an NDA in trade for Danity Kane’s publishing rights.
“I’ve to launch him for any claims or wrongdoings or actions previous to the date of the discharge,” she alleged on the “OnlyStans” podcast. “I’ve to signal an NDA that I’ll by no means disparage Puff, Unhealthy Boy, [Diddy’s mom] Janice Combs, or Justin Combs Music, or EMI, or Sony ever in public.”
O’Day has since been a vocal advocate for Cassie following her lawsuit. “Cash > accountability. Each time,” present wrote through her Instagram Story in response to Cassie and Diddy’s November 2023 lawsuit settlement. “Welcome to a different chapter of the system is properly in place ?.”
Joi Dickerson-Neal
Dickerson-Neal filed a lawsuit towards Diddy in New York Supreme Courtroom in November 2023. In accordance with courtroom docs obtained by Us on the time, Dickerson-Neal claimed the musician “drugged, sexually assaulted and abused” her throughout her time as a school pupil in 1991 and claimed Diddy created and distributed “revenge porn” that includes her in it.
Within the lawsuit, Dickerson-Neal recalled showing in a single his music movies whereas finding out at Syracuse College. The duo allegedly went out to dinner following the video shoot, after which Dickerson-Neal claims Diddy “deliberately drugged” her and assaulted her at his dwelling. Dickerson-Neal alleges that Diddy filmed the incident and shared the footage with others.
Dickerson-Neal sued Diddy for “substantial and lifelong accidents,” in addition to financial compensation for “psychological and emotional damage, misery, ache and struggling and damage to her repute.”
A spokesperson for Diddy denied Dickerson-Neal’s allegations in an announcement to CNN on the time, calling her claims “made up and never credible” and “purely a cash seize.” The assertion continued: “Mr. Combs by no means assaulted her, and she or he implicates firms that didn’t exist.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs. Paras Griffin/Getty Photos
Jane Doe
In December 2023, an nameless plaintiff, known as Jane Doe, accused Diddy of sex-trafficking and gang-raping her in 2008 in a Southern District of New York lawsuit. Doe, who was simply 17 years outdated on the time of the alleged incident, stated she was flown to New York Metropolis by Diddy to fulfill with him.
Throughout their time collectively, Doe says Diddy and his pals pressured themselves onto her after giving her “copious quantities of medication and alcohol,” in accordance with courtroom docs obtained by Us.
“As alleged within the grievance, Defendants preyed on a weak highschool teenager as a part of a intercourse trafficking scheme that concerned plying her with medication and alcohol and transporting her by non-public jet to New York Metropolis the place she was gang raped by the three particular person defendants at Mr. Combs’ studio,” Doe’s legal professional, Douglas H. Wigdor, advised Us in an announcement on the time. “The depravity of those abhorrent acts has, not surprisingly, scarred our consumer for all times.”
Diddy as soon as once more denied any wrongdoing, telling Us in an announcement, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.” He continued: “For the final couple of weeks, I’ve sat silently and watched folks attempt to assassinate my character, destroy my repute and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made towards me by people in search of a fast payday.”
He ended his message by emphasizing he “didn’t do any of the terrible issues being alleged,” including, “I’ll struggle for my identify, my household and for the reality.”
Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones
Jones sued Diddy for $30 million in damages in February 2024, accusing the rapper of drugging, threatening and sexually assaulting him for greater than a 12 months. In courtroom docs obtained by NBC Information, Jones alleged that whereas dwelling with Diddy from September 2022 to November 2023, he recorded audio of the rapper partaking in “critical criminality” with pals and colleagues. The music producer additionally claimed he was sexually harassed and assaulted by Diddy within the artist’s Florida, Los Angeles and New York houses and a yacht Diddy rented within the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In accordance with the lawsuit, the extent of Jones’ assaults and harassment included “fixed unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching of his anus.”
Diddy’s legal professional Shawn Holley referred to as Jones a “liar” in an announcement to Us. “Lil Rod is nothing greater than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit, shamelessly in search of an undeserved payday,” he acknowledged. “His reckless name-dropping about occasions which can be pure fiction and easily didn’t occur is nothing greater than a clear try to garner headlines.”
Holley went on so as to add that Diddy and his staff have “overwhelming, indeniable proof that his claims are full lies” and that the “outlandish allegations” can be addressed in courtroom.
In March 2024, Jones amended his grievance to incorporate Cuba Gooding Jr. as a defendant. Whereas the unique submitting accused the actor of sexually harassing and assaulting Jones on a yacht that Diddy rented, Gooding wasn’t initially included as one of many folks being sued.
The lawsuit alleged that Diddy tried to “go off” Jones to Gooding when leaving them alone collectively in a studio on the boat. “Cuba Gooding Jr. started touching, groping, and fondling Mr. Jones’ legs, his higher interior thighs close to his groin, the small of his again close to his buttocks and his shoulders,” Jones’ lawsuit alleges, per courtroom docs obtained by USA As we speak, additional claiming that Diddy “did not step in and cease” Gooding from assaulting Jones.
Us Weekly reached out to Gooding for remark.
Jones’ amended swimsuit was filed the identical day that a number of of Diddy’s properties have been raided by Homeland Safety in connection to a intercourse trafficking investigation.
Crystal McKinney
In a Could 2024 lawsuit, the mannequin accused Diddy of drugging and sexually assaulting her after they allegedly met in 2003. In accordance with courtroom paperwork obtained by TMZ, McKinney claimed that Diddy introduced her to his music studio after a style week occasion.
Whereas in a room together with his colleagues who have been ingesting and smoking, McKinney took successful of a blunt she claimed felt “very highly effective” that made her really feel like she was floating. She alleged that Diddy demanded that she comply with him into the lavatory the place she claimed he pressured himself on her. McKinney claimed that Diddy kissed her earlier than placing his crotch in her face and demanded that she “suck it.”
McKinney stated she refused Diddy’s development however she claimed the music mogul pushed her head down and compelled her to carry out oral intercourse.
Daybreak Richard
Daybreak Richard Neilson Barnard/Getty Photos for The Recording Academy
In September 2024, the Danity Kane member filed a lawsuit accusing Diddy of manipulating, terrorizing and sexually abusing her.
In accordance with courtroom paperwork obtained by Us Weekly, Richard accused the producer of promising to advance her singing profession if she gave in to his calls for.
In response to the lawsuit, Diddy’s legal professional Erica Wolff launched an announcement, telling Us, “Mr. Combs is shocked and upset by this lawsuit. In an try to rewrite historical past, Daybreak Richard has now manufactured a collection of false claims all within the hopes of making an attempt to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide together with her album launch and press tour. If Ms. Richard had such a unfavorable expertise with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she wouldn’t have chosen to proceed working instantly with Mr. Combs for Soiled Cash, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album final 12 months. It’s unlucky that Ms. Richard has solid their 20-year friendship apart to attempt to get cash from him, however Mr. Combs is confidently standing on reality and appears ahead to proving that in courtroom.”
New York Indictment
On September 17, 2024, Diddy was indicted on costs of intercourse trafficking and racketeering.
The indictment accuses the music mogul of abusing, threatening and coercing girls for years “to satisfy his sexual needs, defend his repute and conceal his conduct.”
“We’re upset with the choice to pursue what we imagine is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace,” Diddy’s legal professional Marc Agnifilo advised Us Weekly in an announcement. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving household man and confirmed philanthropist who has spent the final 30 years constructing an empire, adoring his kids and dealing to uplift the Black group.”
Agnifilo added, “He’s an imperfect particular person, however he’s not a legal. To his credit score, Mr. Combs has been nothing however cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York final week in anticipation of those costs. Please reserve your judgment till you’ve got all of the info. These are the acts of an harmless man with nothing to cover, and he seems ahead to clearing his identify in courtroom.”
The indictment contains allegations listed again to 2009.
Jay-Z’s alleged involvement
Jay-Z was accused of raping a 13-year-old lady in 2000, as detailed in a civil lawsuit that was initially filed towards Diddy alone in October, and refiled so as to add Jay-Z’s identify on December 8.
The accuser, who remained nameless and was solely recognized as “Jane Doe,” claimed the assault occurred at an after get together for the MTV Music Video Awards.
Jay-Z stated in an announcement to Us on December 8 that he denied the allegations lodged towards him. “My lawyer obtained a blackmail try, referred to as a requirement letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee. What he had calculated was the character of those allegations and the general public scrutiny would make me need to settle,” Jay-Z wrote on the time. “No sir, it had the other impact! It made me need to expose you for the fraud you’re in a VERY public style. So no, I cannot offer you ONE RED PENNY!!”
When you or somebody you recognize has been sexually assaulted, contact the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
