Who Is Sean “Diddy” Combs
Combs, formerly known as Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, and by other stage names, was accused of abuse by Cassie in 2018. In her lawsuit, Cassie accused him of beating her and demanding that she carry a firearm to make her uncomfortable and demonstrate how dangerous he is.
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Cassie also stated that Combs forced her into “unwanted … encounters” with hired male workers.
The First Lawsuit Against Combs
Cassie filed her lawsuit on November 16, 2023, under the New York Adult Survivors Act, just before her allegations would expire. This act offers a one-year window for adult victims of abuse to come forward with civil claims, regardless of the statute of limitations.
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The R&B singer alleges a decade of abuse starting soon after she signed with his label in 2005. She was 19, and he was 37.
The Most Recent Lawsuit
In the most recent lawsuit against Combs, producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones alleged that he was “subjected to unwanted advances by associates of Diddy at his direction” and was forced to engage in relations with workers hired by Combs.
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The producer had worked for Combs between September 2022 and November 2023, and claimed Combs had harassed, drugged, and threatened him for more than a year.
Combs Allegedly Engaged “In Serious Illegal Activity”
Jones said he has video and audio evidence of Combs, his staff, and others “engaging in serious illegal activity.”
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The lawsuit also accuses Combs of hosting parties with underage women and illegal drugs. It alleges that record label executives ignored this because they profited financially from their access to celebrities and dignitaries, including the British royal Prince Harry. It’s important to note that Prince Harry has not been accused of any wrongdoing or attending the parties himself.
Combs’ Neighbor Speaks Out
Ryan Mendelsohn, who used to live in the area where Combs’ Los Angeles property was searched, told reporters that he regularly witnessed parties at the house that continued until the early morning hours.
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“I drive by a lot, and I see that — a lot of girls, maybe five or six girls outside, some leaving, some not, some going in,” he said, according to NBC News. “I never thought anything of it.”
Allegations Claimed That Women Were on a Payroll
The $30 million lawsuit also includes allegations that Comb “bragged about having several women on a monthly stipend.” Combs’ former girlfriend, Yung Miami (also known as Caresha Rameka Brownless), and 50 Cent’s ex-partner Daphne Joy face accusations of being among the recipients of the stipend.
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According to court filings, a monthly fee was paid by Combs to the three women for solicited work.
Combs’ Lawyers Call These Accusations “Pure Fiction”
“It is unclear if they were provided the appropriate United States federal tax documents for these payments or if they independently declared these payments on their taxes,” the filing stated. Combs and his team denied all the producer’s allegations, calling “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar” who is after money (via Page Six).
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“His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines,” his attorney, Shawn Holley, claimed.
Another Woman Comes Forward
Joie Dickerson-Neal also filed a lawsuit against Combs, alleging that he drugged her and abused her. She also alleges in her lawsuit that Combs secretly recorded the act while she was a college student in 1991 (via NBC News).
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The lawsuit alleges the defendant showed the recording to multiple people without her knowledge or consent.
Why Didn’t Dickerson-Neal File the Lawsuit in the ‘90s?
Dickerson-Neal filed her lawsuit around the same time as Cassie. According to the lawsuit, Joie Dickerson-Neal filed police reports in New York and New Jersey and spoke to prosecutors. However, the lawsuit also alleges that her colleagues were too terrified to support her, fearing retaliation from Combs that could cost them future business and music opportunities.
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It seems that this is why Dickerson-Neal did not move forward with charges until recently.
Several More Women Come Forward
Since November, three other women have come forward with lawsuits in the Southern District of New York. Their lawsuits allege that they were abused by Combs. Two women said that they were teenagers when the abuse happened.
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Two Jane Does have also filed lawsuits claiming similar accusations against Sean. One states that she was coerced into having relations with Combs when she was 17 years old, and the other details the abuse she endured until she passed out.
Combs Responds
Combs has strongly denied all the accusations against him that led to the agents raiding his homes. The rapper vows to “fight for my name, my family, and for the truth.”
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“Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged,” he said in a statement. “I will fight for my name, my family, and for the truth.”