Sean “Diddy” Combs has been accused by his ex-girlfriend Cassie of rape, sex trafficking, and repeated physical abuse over the course of a decade.
Diddy and R&B singer Cassie dated for 10 years and they ended their relationship in 2018, with Cassie marrying her personal trainer Alex Fine.
In the suit, filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan on Thursday, November 16, Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, alleges that Combs introduced her “to a lifestyle of excessive alcohol and substance abuse” and forced her to have sex with numerous male prostitutes while he filmed the encounters.
Diddy and Cassie allegedly met when she was 19 and he was 37 in 2005 when the rapper signed the singer to his label, Bad Boy Records. Bad Boy Records, Bad Boy Entertainment, Epic Records, and Combs Enterprises are also listed as defendants in the lawsuit.
Ventura said in a statement: “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.
“With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life.”
In response, a lawyer for Combs, Ben Brafman, told The New York Times: “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 $30m, 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.”
Douglas Wigdor, a lawyer for Ms Ventura, said the parties had spoken before the suit was filed.
“Mr Combs offered Ms Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit,” he said. “She rejected his efforts.”
