Sean Diddy Combs Faces Allegations of Rape and Abuse by Singer Cassie
Renowned rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs is confronting serious accusations of rape and sex trafficking leveled against him by former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, a fellow singer.
In a lawsuit, Casandra Ventura, who goes by the stage name Cassie, claims she endured a decade-long cycle of abuse and violence while in a relationship with Mr. Combs.
Mr. Combs, also known as Puff Daddy, vehemently denies these allegations, asserting that the singer is attempting to extort him. His lawyer dismissed the claims as “offensive and outrageous.”
Cassie, an R&B singer and dancer signed to Mr. Combs’ record label, Bad Boy, alleges that the rap producer subjected her to rape and physical abuse from the age of 19, with Mr. Combs being 37 at the time.
“After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story,” Cassie stated on Thursday.
The lawsuit contains explicit descriptions of violent abuse, detailing incidents that allegedly occurred since she met Mr. Combs in 2005.
The complaint asserts that Mr. Combs induced Cassie into drug and alcohol abuse, exerting control over her life.
Describing the musician as a “serial domestic abuser,” the lawsuit claims he regularly beat and kicked Cassie, causing injuries such as black eyes, bruises, and bleeding.
Cassie declared in her statement that she is prepared “to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships.”
Mr. Combs’ lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, countered the accusations, stating that Cassie demanded $30 million (£24 million) “under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship.” He unequivocally rejected the demand, deeming it “blatant blackmail.”
Responding to Brafman’s statement, Cassie’s lawyer, Doug Wigdor, claimed that Mr. Combs had offered her a substantial payment to keep silent. She refused and chose “to give a voice to all women who suffer in silence,” according to Wigdor.
The lawsuit additionally alleges that Mr. Combs informed Cassie of his plan to “blow up” a car owned by rapper Kid Cudi due to jealousy over Cassie’s relationship with the rapper during Paris Fashion Week in 2012.
A spokeswoman for Kid Cudi corroborated Cassie’s account to the New York Times.
Cassie, known for hits like “Me & U,” “Long Way to Go,” and “Official Girl” featuring Lil Wayne, released several successful tracks in the 2000s, including collaborations with Diddy.
