Sean 'Diddy' Combs Accused of Rape, Abuse by Singer Cassie in Lawsuit

Sean “Diddy” Combs is the latest major figure in the music industry to be hit with a major lawsuit alleging abuse dating back years. Singer Cassie Ventura, whom Diddy dated for the better part of a decade, is accusing the Bad Boy Records founder of some serious crimes. 

“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,” Cassie said in a statement, per The New York Times. 

The “Me & U” singer claimed in the suit that Diddy began acting in an abusive pattern toward her not long after they met in 2005 when she was just 19. According to her, his abuse included drugging her, beating her, and forcing her to have sex with male prostitutes while he filmed them. It culminated in 2018 toward the end of their relationship when Diddy allegedly broke into her home and raped her.

Diddy, for his part, shot down Cassie’s claims. 

“Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” his attorney Ben Brafman told Men’s Journal in a statement. “For the past 6 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’ reputation and seeking a pay day.”

Cassie went on to claim in the lawsuit that every time she’d try to leave the abusive relationship, Diddy would allegedly send his employees to try to get her to come back. It got to a point where she was worried about the repercussions of crossing him in any way. “Ms. Ventura felt that saying ‘no’ to Mr. Combs would cost her something—her family, her friends, her career, or even her life,” the suit said. 

She wasn’t the only artist to allegedly draw the ire of the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper. When she began dating rapper Kid Cudi in early 2012, Diddy allegedly was so angry that he threatened to blow up the rapper’s car. Sure enough, it did. “Around that time, Kid Cudi’s car exploded in his driveway,” the suit said. A spokeswoman for Cudi confirmed the explosion did happen, though not that Diddy was responsible. 

Cassie is bringing the case under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which allows people who claim they experienced sexual abuse to file civil suits after the statute of limitations has expired. The one-year law, however, expires on Nov. 23, and the R&B singer knew she had to speak out while she still had the chance. “With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching,” she said, “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.”