On Thursday, November 16, 2023, a lawsuit was filed in New York federal court against Sean 'Diddy' Combs. It was filed by singer Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, and accuses Combs of years of abuse and rape. Ventura and Combs were in a relationship for 10 years.
Ventura and Combs first met when she was 19 and he was 35. She signed to his record label, Bad Boy Records. She then claims Combs introduced her to his “ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle.”
Ventura claims in the lawsuit that Combs’ abuse began at the beginning of their relationship. Combs was allegedly “prone to uncontrollable rage,” which led to “savage” beatings of Ventura. She also accuses him of giving her drugs and forcing her to have sex with other men while he watched and filmed the act.
Ventura alleges she tried to get out of the abusive relationship in 2018. This reportedly enraged Combs. She says he forced her into her Los Angeles home and raped her.
“After years in silence and darkness, 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,” Ventura stated.
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Combs is represented by attorney Ben Brafman. Combs “vehemently denies” all of Ventura’s allegations and tells a different story. Brafman says Ventura’s claims are all “lies.”
Brafman stated that Ventura’s lawsuit is solely an attempt to get rich. “For the past six 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,” he stated. “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’s reputation and seeking a payday.”
Douglas Wigdor is the lawyer representing Ventura. He denied his client is doing it for monetary gain. He also revealed Combs tried to pay her off with “eight figures to silence her and prevent her from filing this lawsuit. She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all women who suffer in silence.”
Ventura is best known for her hit 2006 single “Me & U.” As an actor she has appeared on multiple television shows and movies such as Empire, Step Up 2: The Streets and Spenser Confidential. She has one self-titled studio album.
Combs is a highly influential hip-hop producer and executive with his hands in many industries. He is a three-time Grammy winner with many famous musical collaborations with artists including Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige. He has his own fashion line called Sean John, a television channel called Revolt, and helped produce MTV’s reality series Making the Band.
Combs and Ventura began dating in 2007. They dated off and on for 10 years.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women's shelter domesticshelters.org.
