Cassie accuses Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs of rape

Warning: This article contains details and accusations of sexual and physical abuse

Hip-hop icon and mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been accused of rape and physical abuse in a new lawsuit filed by R&B singer Cassie.

Cassie – real name Cassandra Ventura – filed the lawsuit in federal court on Thursday (November 16), according to a report from the New York Times. 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.” Ventura and Combs were in a romantic relationship between 2007 (when she was 21 years old) and 2018.

In the lawsuit, Ventura says that Combs began displaying patterns of control and abuse not long after the pair first met in 2005, when she was 19. Vetura alleges that Combs supplied her with drugs, beat her, and forced her to have sex with male prostitutes as he filmed the encounters. She also alleges that Combs forced his way into her home and raped her in 2018 towards the end of their romantic relationship.

Ben Brafman, a lawyer for Combs shared a statement denying all allegations on behalf of the rapper: “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.”

In response, Ventura’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor revealed that Combs had previously offered Ventura “eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit”, but that Ventura “rejected his efforts”.

The lawsuit also alleges that after signing Ventura to his label Bad Boy in 2006, Combs soon began to exert control over most aspects of her life – including having access to her medical records. Combs allegedly provided Ventura with “copious amounts of drugs”, forcing her to take them, and that he would physically abuse her “multiple times each year.”

One incident in the lawsuit alleges that Combs pushed Ventura into a car and kicked her in the face repeatedly after witnessing her speaking to another talent agent in 2009. Other acts of violence alleged in the lawsuit include Combs dangling one of her friends off a hotel room balcony.

Combs allegedly forced Ventura “to engage in a fantasy of his called ‘voyeurism’”, during which he reportedly forced the singer to have sex with male prostitutes as he watched, masturbated and took pictures and videos of the sexual encounters. Combs also allegedly supplied drugs at the event, which Ventura says she took because they “allowed her to disassociate during these horrific encounters”.

According to the lawsuit, Ventura has also claimed that due to multiple forced sexual encounters taking place in different cities, she is a victim of sex trafficking. Elsewhere in the lawsuit, Combs has also been accused of sexual battery, sexual assault and violations of New York City’s gender-motivated violance laws.

As a result of the trauma experienced, Ventura has required “intensive medical and psychological care”. The lawsuit seeks damages for lost wages, mental pain and severe emotional distress, though an exact figure has yet to be reported.

For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.