Nov. 16, 2023: Cassie files a lawsuit against Diddy for rape, sex trafficking, and abuse
On Nov. 16, singer Cassie, whose full name is Cassie Ventura, filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Manhattan, accusing hip-hop mogul Diddy of physically abusing her throughout their 10-year relationship. Ventura and Diddy—whose real name is Sean Combs—reportedly met in 2005 when she was 19 years old. The following year, Ventura signed to Combs’ record label Bad Boy Records, where she released her debut, self-titled album. Their romantic relationship began in 2007. According to documents obtained by The New York Times, Ventura alleges Combs began exhibiting signs of control and abuse following the release of her debut album. She alleged the mogul aggressively urged her to ingest “copious amounts of drugs” and was frequently violent throughout the relationship until it ended in 2018. The lengthy court lawsuit also provides egregious and gruesome details on several incidents in which Diddy allegedly beat and raped the singer. “After years in silence and darkness,” Ventura said in a statement through her lawyer, “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.” In a statement provided to Complex, Diddy’s attorney Ben Brafman vehemently denied the allegations against his client, stating the lawsuit was “riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’ reputation.”
