Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Controversies: Lawsuits, Feuds, More

In November, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed a federal lawsuit towards Sean “Diddy” Combs in New York federal court docket. Her lawsuit consists of graphic claims of sexual assault, bodily abuse, and an allegation that Combs, her ex-boyfriend, would power her to have intercourse with male intercourse staff whereas he watched. Ventura’s claims are among the many worst, however not the primary controversy that the music mogul and entrepreneur has been alleged to be concerned in. 

Combs has tried to rebrand himself as “Brother Love” in recent times, even altering his center identify to Love, however he has a chronic historical past of violence, relationship again to the Nineties. He’s by no means been convicted of a severe crime however has repeatedly been accused of getting violent encounters with everybody from his exes Ventura and Gina Huynh (who alleged bodily abuse in 2019) to government Steve Stoute and rappers like J. Cole and Drake. 

Combs’ lawyer Ben Brafman informed the New York Occasions that “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. For the previous six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, beneath the specter of writing a dangerous guide about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail. Regardless of withdrawing her preliminary menace, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to submitting a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’s popularity and looking for a payday.” The 2 reached an “amicable” settlement for an undisclosed quantity on Nov. 17. 

Here’s a timeline of Combs’ controversies through the years:

CCNY Tragedy, 1991

Combs co-promoted a star basketball sport and live performance at Metropolis School of New York the place 9 individuals died and 29 individuals have been injured. The fitness center had a capability of two,730 individuals however as many as 5,000 individuals confirmed as much as the occasion, which didn’t have sufficient safety to manage the throng. After organizers closed the doorways and stopped letting attendees in, individuals exterior broke the gymnasium’s doorways and rushed the foyer, inflicting a stampede. Then-New York Metropolis Mayor David Dinkins’ administration printed a 67-page report referred to as “A Failure Of Duty” that cited Combs for hiring insufficient, inexperienced safety. Combs settled a slew of lawsuits from relations of attendees who died on the gymnasium, finalizing the final go well with in 2000.  

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Jake Robles Taking pictures, 1995

Combs and Demise Row Data co-founder Marion “Suge” Knight have been as soon as mates, however the animosity that fueled the violent rivalry between Demise Row and Unhealthy Boy began as soon as Knight’s good friend (and safety guard) Jake Robles was killed exterior an Atlanta nightclub after an argument with the Unhealthy Boy camp. The boys have been celebrating musician Jermaine Dupri’s birthday at Platinum Metropolis Membership when, as then-Fulton County Sheriff Deputy Chris Howard informed police, an argument started between members of the Unhealthy Boy and Demise Row Data entourage. Howard stated that he escorted Combs and his visitors exterior to go away the membership, and thought the coast was clear to permit Knight and his entourage to go away. However, as Howard informed the Los Angeles Occasions, “[Knight’s] associate was nearly able to get into the limo when impulsively Puffy’s guys got here from across the nook . . . and one in every of them had a gun.” Howard stated he chased the person, who handed the gun to a different individual, who shot Robles “two or 3 times.” In accordance with the Occasions, the individual then jumped right into a “automobile carrying Combs’ associates.” Robles died weeks later at an Atlanta hospital. Combs has denied involvement within the capturing, which Knight reportedly held him chargeable for. 

Attacking Steve Stoute, 1998

In 1998, Combs and two different males attacked Steve Stoute after the music government, then Nas’ supervisor, erroneously despatched MTV a model of Combs and Nas’ “Hate Me Now” music video which contained scenes depicting Combs as Jesus Christ being crucified. Combs wished the crucifixion scene deleted from the video, and was enraged that it performed on-air. Stoute says that Combs and two males barged into his New York Metropolis workplace and attacked him with a champagne bottle. He was charged with second-degree assault and felony mischief. Stoute claims that his arm and jaw was damaged within the assault, however Combs denied any bones have been damaged to MTV, additionally telling the community, “I principally went to his workplace, and what occurred in his workplace, I actually can’t talk about however I can say this: the best way I dealt with myself in his workplace was fully incorrect and I’ve since apologized to Steve about that and I felt like, you already know, I simply dissatisfied myself.” Combs was sentenced to a one-day anger administration class. 

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Membership New York Taking pictures, 1999

In late December 1999, Combs and his Unhealthy Boy signee Jamal “Shyne” Barrow have been partying at Membership New York when Diddy knocked a drink out of Matthew “Scar” Allen’s arms. Allen received into an argument with Combs and somebody threw cash in Combs’ face. Allen additionally threatened to kill Shyne. Prosecutors allege that amid the fray, all three males drew weapons, and Shyne shot 3 times within the crowded membership. Three individuals have been shot. Combs, who was arrested with two nine-millimeter weapons in his automobile, was charged with 4 weapons prices and for bribing his driver to assert that the weapons have been his personal. A witness on the trial stated she noticed each Shyne and Combs shoot their weapons, however Combs was acquitted on all prices, whereas Shyne was discovered responsible of 5 of his eight prices and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. 

Scuffle with J. Cole, 2013

In 2013, Combs was allegedly concerned in an altercation with J. Cole at a 2013 MTV VMAs afterparty. A number of sources alleged to Complicated {that a} “visibly intoxicated” Combs accosted Kendrick Lamar about his fiery verse on Huge Sean’s “Management,” the place he bragged he was “King of New York.” Combs allegedly tried to pour a drink on Kendrick earlier than Cole intervened and so they received right into a battle. The New York Publish, nevertheless, reported that the scuffle occurred after “J. Cole was saying inappropriate issues to Sean Combs and his girlfriend, Cassie.” A witness informed them that “Some pushing and shoving occurred. No punches have been thrown, however it was a visual disturbance.” Each males instantly denied a battle passed off, although Cole later rapped, “My final scrap was with Puff Daddy, who would’ve thought it?” on 2021’s “Let Go My Hand.”

Allegedly Punches Drake, 2014

In December 2014, Combs allegedly punched Drake over the rights to the beat that grew to become Drake’s “0 to 100.” The Miami New-Occasions reported that the 2 received into an argument exterior of LIV nightclub throughout DJ Khaled’s occasion for Basel Weekend. Phrases have been allegedly exchanged, and reportedly, “then blows,” with Combs telling Drake, “You’ll not disrespect me.” Combs has denied punching Drake, telling the radio present The Breakfast Membership “I didn’t do nothing to Drake, Drake is my good friend.”

Fights UCLA Coach, 2015

In June of 2015, Combs received right into a scuffle with then-UCLA assistant soccer coach Sal Alosi. TMZ reported that Combs was current throughout a UCLA observe the place Alosi chided his son (and then-UCLA participant) Justin Combs, telling him, “I don’t care in case your dad’s right here. That is UCLA. I’m going to deal with you identical to I deal with everybody else.” After the observe, Combs and his son reportedly went to Alosi’s workplace, the place an argument ensued and Combs “grabbed” Alosi. In accordance with one account, Combs was forcibly faraway from Alosi’s workplace after which swung a kettlebell at an intern. A rep for Combs Enterprises famous, “The assorted accounts of the occasion and prices which might be being reported are wholly inaccurate. What we will say now’s that any actions taken by Mr. Combs have been solely defensive in nature to guard himself and his son.” The LA district lawyer determined to not file assault prices towards Combs. 

Gina Huynh Alleges Abuse, 2019

In 2019 Combs’ ex Gina Huynh informed blogger Tasha Okay that Combs bodily abused her all through their five-year relationship. She claimed he as soon as stomped her on the abdomen, inflicting her to lose her breath, and likewise punched her behind the top. She informed Tasha Okay that, “He was mentally, emotionally and bodily abusing me. He would all the time examine me to Cassie and inform me that I’m the unhealthy one, she’s a very good one.” She additionally stated that “everybody” in Combs’ circle “allowed” the abuse to happen. 

Cassie Recordsdata Civil Swimsuit In opposition to Combs, 2023 

On Nov. sixteenth, Combs’ ex Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed a federal lawsuit towards Combs in New York alleging years of assault. Her lawsuit accommodates graphic allegations of Combs raping her in 2018, bodily abusing her, intimidating her, and making her have intercourse with male escorts whereas he watched. The lawsuit additionally alleges that Combs blew up Cudi’s automobile to discourage him from seeing Cassie romantically — by means of a rep, Cudi stated the accusations are true. Combs has denied the allegations and alleged that Cassie tried to blackmail him for $30 million earlier than submitting the lawsuit. The 2 settled for an undisclosed quantity on Nov. 17, together with his lawyer Ben Brafman stating that “Mr. Combs‘ determination to settle the lawsuit doesn’t in any manner undermine his flat-out denial of the claims.”

Jane Doe Sues for 1991 Rape and Revenge Porn

5 days after Combs and Cassie reached a settlement, a former Syracuse College faculty pupil sued Combs for allegedly drugging, raping, and recording her, afterwards allegedly exhibiting others the assault he filmed. The go well with, which was obtained by Rolling Stone, claims that after taking the lady to dinner in Harlem in 1991, he drove her to a recording studio the place he raped her whereas, she alleged, she was in “a bodily state the place she couldn’t independently stand or stroll.”  “Days later,” the go well with reads, “a male good friend revealed to her that he had considered the ‘intercourse tape’ together with different males.” A consultant for Combs denied the allegations, calling them a “cash seize” in a press release to TMZ.

Diddy Faces Third Sexual Assault Swimsuit in One Week

Simply earlier than New York State’s Grownup Survivors Act’s Nov. 23 deadline, a second nameless accuser filed a lawsuit towards Combs alleging sexual assault. (The regulation, handed in Might 2022, opened a window for individuals over the age of 18 on the time of alleged sexual offenses to file lawsuits towards alleged perpetrators, overriding statutes of limitations that sometimes lower off authorized choices — advocates have requested for an extension of the act’s window or the undoing of statutes of limitations altogether.) On this go well with, a girl claims Diddy and singer-songwriter Aaron Corridor took turns raping her and a good friend in 1990 or 1991.  She additionally alleges that days later, Diddy once more attacked her at a house the place she was staying. “He was irate and commenced assaulting and choking Jane Doe to the purpose that she handed out,” the grievance alleges. “Combs was trying to find Jane Doe’s good friend as a result of he was anxious that she would inform the lady he was with on the time what he and Corridor had carried out to them.” (Reps for Corridor and Combs didn’t instantly return requests for touch upon Friday.)

Third Jane Doe Recordsdata Lawsuit

On Dec. 6, Jane Doe plaintiff filed a lawsuit towards Combs, Daddy’s Home Recordings, and Unhealthy Boy Leisure, alleging that in 2003, when she was 17, she was gang raped by Combs, former Unhealthy Boy President Harve Pierre, and one other unidentified man at Combs’ Daddy’s Home studio in New York Metropolis.  The lawsuit claims that the teenager met Pierre in Detroit and was informed Combs wished to fulfill her. She was flown in on a personal jet to Teterboro, NJ, earlier than arriving in Manhattan. The three males allegedly plied the excessive schooler with “copious quantities of medication and alcohol.” The graphic lawsuit stated that issues started to visually “blur” for her when she was assaulted by the three males within the rest room as she drifted out and in of consciousness, had issue respiration, and pled for them to cease. Allegedly, Combs assaulted her first after which watched the opposite two males whereas sitting in a chair exterior the lavatory. The lawsuit additionally claims that after Pierre completed assaulting her, she was left within the rest room alone, the place she curled right into a fetal place with vaginal ache. As soon as she “regained her bearings,” she was taken again to an airport and flown to Detroit. 

On the identical day of the lawsuit, Combs made a press release claiming, “Sufficient is sufficient. For the final couple of weeks, I’ve sat silently and watched individuals attempt to assassinate my character, destroy my popularity and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made towards me by people on the lookout for a fast payday. Let me be completely clear: I didn’t do any of the terrible issues being alleged. I’ll battle for my identify, my household and for the reality.”

Tiffany Pink Writes an Open Letter Corroborating Cassie’s Allegations

On Dec. 7, Tiffany Pink — a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter who has written songs for Zendaya, Joe Jonas, Jason Derulo, and Tamar Braxton, amongst others — printed an open letter to Combs through Rolling Stone alleging that Cassie’s claims have been true.

“I’m one of many mates talked about in her lawsuit, particularly from the night time of her twenty ninth birthday, as detailed within the part labeled ‘Mr. Combs Forces Ms. Ventura Into Intercourse Trafficking,’” she wrote. Pink detailed her first encounters with Combs and her working relationship with Cassie as a songwriter and detailed the occasion the place she claimed Combs separated Cassie from her mates. When Cassie and Combs returned later within the night, Pink wrote that they appeared intoxicated and that Combs was verbally abusive to each ladies, calling Pink an “emotional singing bitch,” earlier than departing.

“She later informed me you made her have a ‘Freak Off’ — which Cassie described in her lawsuit as an ‘association’ the place you’d make her carry out sexual acts with male intercourse staff — that night time,” Pink wrote. “The rationale you referred to as me ’emotional singing bitch’ was since you have been listening to new songs we wrote in the course of the ‘Freak Off’ that had begun after you got here to get her earlier that night time. I’m disturbed to my core by this.” Pink wrote that she noticed events later the place Combs appeared verbally abusive to Cassie and stated that she, too, had skilled trauma because of Combs’ alleged actions.

Hulu Scraps Household Actuality Present

Hulu introduced on Dec. 3 that the corporate would now not make a actuality present centered round Combs and his household. The information arrived as a number of firms severed enterprise ties with the hip-hop mogul following the accusations of sexual abuse and bodily violence.

The venture — which was beneath the working title Diddy+7 — was being produced by James Corden’s manufacturing firm Fulwell 73 for Hulu. The dropped actuality present was stated to take after Holding Up with the Karadashians, which can be produced by Fulwell 73 for the streaming service. “It’s going to profile your entire household,” a supply informed Web page Six in March. “All of them have companies — even the youngsters — and it’ll function everybody.” 

Combs has stepped other than his chairman function at Revolt, liquor firm Diageo requested a choose to stop him from showing on new promoting for DeLéon, and a complete of 23 manufacturers have now severed ties with Empower World, his on-line market for Black-owned companies, which launched in July.

Combs Settles with Diageo

Combs reached a settlement on Tuesday, Jan. 16, with the liquor big Diageo, with whom he shared joint possession of the tequila model DeLeón. Combs first sued Diageo in Might, accusing the corporate of labeling Cîroc and DéLeon as “Black manufacturers” restricted to “city” markets. He sued once more in October, asking for an injunction that may power Diageo to adjust to how he considered his DeLéon contract. Weeks later, his ex-girlfriend Cassie filed a lawsuit alleging Combs raped her, beat her, and compelled her to have intercourse with different males whereas he watched. Two extra accusers stepped ahead with lawsuits on Thanksgiving Day. Although Combs has denied the accusations, Diageo had been pushing a choose in New York to disclaim Diddy’s request for management over an incoming $15 million advertising and marketing funds for DeLéon Tequila. 

“Sean Combs and Diageo have now agreed to resolve all disputes between them. Mr. Combs has withdrawn all of his allegations about Diageo and can voluntarily dismiss his lawsuits towards Diageo with prejudice,” a joint assertion from each events obtained by Rolling Stone reads, which means the mogul can’t refile the lawsuit sooner or later. “Diageo and Mr. Combs haven’t any ongoing enterprise relationship, both with respect to Cîroc vodka or DeLeón tequila, which Diageo now solely owns.”

Sean Combs Sued for Sexual Assault by ‘Love Album’ Producer

On Feb 27, Combs was sued by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones for $30 million for sexual assault. The producer labored with Combs on his The Love Album and says that he was subjected to sexual misconduct all through the manufacturing course of. He additionally claimed that Combs owes him $50,000 for his work on the Grammy-nominated album. 

Jones’ 70-page lawsuit, filed within the Southern District of New York, alleges that whereas engaged on the album and dwelling with Combs in New York, California and Florida, Combs repeatedly groped his “anus and crotch with out consent,” and tried to “groom him into accepting a gay relationship” by exhibiting him specific movies, claiming it was “a traditional observe within the music business.” He claims that Combs would stroll round the home bare and power him to observe him bathe, and alleges that when he informed Combs’ chief of employees Kristina Khorram about Combs’ actions, he was informed, “you already know, Sean shall be Sean.”

The lawsuit implicates others, together with Combs’ son Justin, who’s accused of procuring underage ladies for events the place Combs drugged guests and secretly recorded their intercourse acts. Jones claims he was additionally drugged at a celebration and awakened “bare, dizzy, and confused” in a mattress with “two intercourse staff and Mr. Combs.” He claims that Combs often displayed weapons as an intimidation tactic and threatened to “eat Mr. Jones’ face.” 

After the lawsuit grew to become public, grownup movie actor D’Angelo “Knockout” Marquis claimed that photographs that the lawsuit purported as producer Stevie J engaged in a sexual act have been really stills from one in every of his movies. 

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Diddy’s lawyer Shawn Holley referred to as Jones a “liar” who’s “shamelessly on the lookout for an undeserved payday.” He added, “His reckless name-dropping about occasions which might be pure fiction and easily didn’t occur is nothing greater than a clear try to garner headlines.” Justin Combs’ lawyer additionally responded to the lawsuit, noting, “Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They’re all lies! It is a a transparent instance of a determined individual taking determined measures in hopes of a pay day. There shall be authorized penalties for ALL defamatory statements made in regards to the Combs household.”

UPDATE: This text was up to date on Feb. 28 at 2:30 p.m. ET to incorporate Combs is being sued by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones for $30 million for sexual assault. It was additionally up to date on Jan. 16 at 4:41 p.m. ET to incorporate that Combs and Diageo reached a settlement with Diageo, and on Dec. 13, 2023, 12:38 a.m. ET: This submit was up to date to mirror information that Hulu would now not be making Sean Comb’s household actuality present.