Rap mogul who brought Notorious BIG to the attention of the world in the 1990s and worked with big-name female rappers has been accused of rape and physical abuse by a former partner.
Sean Combs, better known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P Diddy, and Diddy, is a well-known personality in the historically male-dominated hip-hop scene. Despite this, he has become well-known for his partnerships with female musicians like Lil Kim, Mariah Carey, and Mary J Blige.
Singer Cassie Ventura is one well-known artist he collaborated with; in 2006, she launched her singing career under his label, Bad Boy Records. In addition, Cassie and Combs dated from 2007 until 2018. Combs has denied the accusations made by the woman, who recently accused him of rape and severe physical abuse during their relationship.
Casandra Ventura filed a lawsuit against Sean Combs
According to court documents obtained by USA TODAY, Casandra Ventura, better known as the singer Cassie, has filed a lawsuit against Combs for sexual assault and sex trafficking in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Combs’ businesses, such as Epic Records, Combs Enterprises, LLC, Bad Boy Entertainment, and Bad Boy Records, are also the subject of the lawsuit.
According to the complaint, Cassie suffered from trafficking, rape, and severe physical abuse by Combs for ten years after she started a professional and sexual relationship with the rap mogul at the age of 19.
Cassie announced in a statement that she had decided to come out of the closet and tell her story, stressing the value of speaking up for other women who are abused and subjected to violence in their relationships as well as for herself.
She expressed the need to talk about the trauma she had gone through, particularly since New York’s Adult Survivors Act is about to expire, and she will soon have the chance to do so.
Casandra Ventura claims Sean Combs “took control” of her life
When the 37-year-old rap mogul showed interest in signing Cassie to Bad Boy Records in 2005, Cassie met Combs.
In the lawsuit, Cassie states that she fell under Combs’ “control” in several areas of her life after becoming enticed into an extravagant, fast-paced, and drug-using lifestyle and starting a romantic relationship with him.
She claims in the lawsuit that Combs gave her access to drugs and alcohol and that this control extended to her career opportunities and healthcare. According to the court document, Mr. Combs controlled every aspect of Ms. Ventura’s life, both personally and professionally, making it impossible for her to escape his sway.
He allegedly asked for silence, obedience, and loyalty in exchange for what were supposedly unprecedented opportunities for her as an aspiring artist. Cassie claims that not only was silence and compliance required of her, but it was also expected of Combs’ team and workers at Bad Boy Entertainment.
Cassie asserts that no one on Combs’ team questioned their boss’s violent and intimidating behavior, even in the face of Combs’ alleged uncontrollable rage and frequent severe beatings. Combs allegedly forced Cassie to have “repeated unwanted sexual encounters” with male prostitutes he hired; the lawsuit claims that Combs videotaped these interactions.
Cassie claims that despite her efforts to flee the alleged abuse, Combs’ “vast network of corporations and affiliated entities” persistently located her and forced her to come back to him.
Sean Combs denies all allegations.
According to the lawsuit, Cassie and Combs had dinner at an Italian restaurant in Malibu, California, in September 2018, following “concerted efforts” to end the relationship. Cassie thought they would talk about calling it quits on their romance.
But she also says that after the meal, Combs broke into her apartment, tried to kiss her, and then raped her even though she refused. Combs responded by calling Cassie’s claims “offensive and outrageous,” disputing them and accusing her of extortion in a statement given to USA TODAY.
