Photos by Paras Griffin/Getty Images & Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Bad Boy Entertainment
Diddy — a.k.a. Sean Combs — has been accused of rape and more than a decade of repeated physical abuse in a lawsuit filed by Cassie.
According to The New York Times, the R&B singer — real name Casandra Ventura — alleged that her former partner of 11 years engaged in a number of controlling and abusive behaviors throughout their relationship, including physical beatings, sexual abuse, and sexual battery.
Ventura claimed in the suit that Combs — who signed her to Bad Boy Records and released her first album in 2006 — would coerce her into incidents he’d refer to as “freak offs,” where he allegedly forced her to dress up in masks and lingerie to perform sexual acts with male sex workers. During these sessions, she said he gave her drugs, which “allowed her to disassociate during these horrific encounters” that Combs also purportedly filmed while masturbating. The suit also claims these “freak offs” happened for years in Combs’ homes and high-end hotels located in multiple states, meaning Ventura is a sex trafficking victim and that Combs, in some cases, had allegedly violated New York City’s gender-motivated violence law. Ventura reportedly lists several attempts to leave Combs, but Combs would allegedly send an employee to bring her back.
The suit continued, “Ms. Ventura felt that saying ‘no’ to Mr. Combs would cost her something — her family, her friends, her career, or even her life.”
Ventura went on to allege that Combs once forced his way into her apartment before raping her in 2018, shortly before they broke up. She said Combs could be jealous and violent, threatening to withhold her releases, isolating her from her loved ones, and physically beating her when he saw her talking to a talent agent. She claimed Combs owned her home and car.
She said Combs also threatened to blow up rapper Kid Cudi's car after they began dating in early 2012. Around that time, the suit claimed that “Kid Cudi’s car exploded in his driveway.” The FADER has reached out to representatives for Kid Cudi but have yet to hear back.
The New York Times reported that several other companies and associates of Combs are also named in the suit. Ventura is seeking an undisclosed amount of damages. However, she said her lawsuit was motivated by her desire to “speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships,” in an initial statement obtained by the outlet.
That said, Combs’ attorney, Ben Brafman, said his client “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations” in a statement sent to The FADER.
“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,” Brafman alleged, “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."
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said both sides spoke before the filing and that “Mr. Combs offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit. She rejected his efforts.” The FADER has reached out to Ventura’s team for further comment.
Read The New York Times' full report on the lawsuit here.
