Sean “Diddy” Combs, one of hip-hop’s most influential figures, has just been named at the center of a shocking new sexual assault and sexual abuse lawsuit.
Filed by his longtime ex-girlfriend and singer Cassie on Thursday, Diddy stands accused of rape, repeated physical abuse, sexual assault, sexual battery, and of violating New York City’s gender-motivated violence law, according to The New York Times. A handful of his “associated companies” have also been named in the suit. Cassie is seeking unspecified damages.
Court documents obtained by the Times detail years-long instances of alleged abuse that Cassie suffered at the hands of Diddy. She alleges that things took a turn for the worse not long after she signed to his label, Bad Boy Records, back in 2005. From that moment on, she was subject to countless instances of physical abuse and sexual exploitation including being forced to engage in “freak offs,” in which she would be made to have sex with male prostitutes in lingerie and masquerade masks while Diddy allegedly filmed and took video of them.
She also alleges that the hip-hop mogul was controlling, regularly supplied her with drugs like ecstasy and ketamine, was physically abusive and detailed several instances like when he allegedly pushed her into a car and kicked her in the face in 2009 in Los Angeles for talking to another talent agent; allegedly threatening to blow up Cassie’s then-boyfriend and rapper Kid Cudi’s car in early 2012 (his car would later actually explode in his driveway as was confirmed by Cudi’s spokeswoman); allegedly punching her and leaving her with a black eye in 2016 while she was trying to flee after a “freak off” and throwing glass vases at her to stop her (this incident was caught on hotel security footage but Diddy allegedly paid $50,000 to have in his possession); and allegedly raping her in her apartment in 2018. The suit also details numerous unsuccessful attempts of Cassie allegedly tried to leave Diddy.
In a statement in court filings, Cassie, legally Casandra Ventura, said: “After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships.”
Lawyers for Cassie also claim that both they and Diddy’s legal time met prior to the suit’s filing where she was offered “eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit.” They declined the offer.
Diddy has responded to this bombshell suit, saying through his lawyer: “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. For the past six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail. Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’s reputation and seeking a payday.”