Sean “Diddy” Combs was sued by Casandra Ventura – the singer known as Cassie – in a federal court in New York on Thursday. In the suit, Ventura, a former girlfriend to Combs, alleges that she was raped by Combs and subjected to years of physical abuse during their relationship.
The suit details that Ventura met Combs around 2005 when she was 19 and the rapper was 37. Ventura alleges that Combs “exerted his power and influence” over the course of a decade.
She claims that Combs physically abused her, subjected her to “excessive alcohol and substance abuse” and trafficked her by forcing her to engage in sex acts with other men and filming it. Ventura also says that Combs raped her in her home after she attempted to leave him.
“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 said in a statement to press.
“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 addition to Combs, the suit names Bad Boy Records, Bad Boy Entertainment, Epic Records and Combs Enterprises as defendants. Ventura claims that the physical abuse was witnessed by “Mr. Combs’ staff and employees of Bad Boy Entertainment and Mr. Combs’s related businesses,” but that his employees never intervened.
Combs’ “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” according to his lawyer Ben Brafman.
“Ms. Ventura’s demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail,” Brafman said. “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’ reputation, and seeking a pay day.”
Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, says that Combs “offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit.”
“She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all woman who suffer in silence.”
