Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing more legal troubles as a lawsuit has been filed in New York federal court accusing him of drugging and sexually assaulting a model in 2003. Crystal McKinney filed the lawsuit under the NYC Gender Motivated Violence Act, allowing victims to sue their abusers regardless of when the abuse occurred. McKinney is also suing Combs’ record label, Bad Boy Entertainment, his label’s distributor, Universal Music Group, and Combs’ fashion brand, Sean John Clothing. The lawsuit alleges that McKinney, then 22 years old and a rising fashion model, was introduced to Combs in 2003 and was later drugged and assaulted by him at his recording studio after being pressured to drink and smoke marijuana.
The lawsuit claims that Combs made sexually suggestive remarks about McKinney’s appearance in front of others before inviting her to his recording studio, where he pressured her to consume more alcohol and marijuana. Despite McKinney insisting that she had enough, Combs allegedly led her into the bathroom and forced her to perform oral sex on him, causing her to lose consciousness and wake up in a cab. McKinney also alleges that Combs used his influence to prevent her from getting modeling opportunities after the incident, leading to anxiety, depression, and substance abuse issues. Combs has not responded to the lawsuit, and Universal Music Group declined to comment pending a review by their lawyers.
The lawsuit comes in the midst of other legal issues for Combs, including a security video aired by CNN showing him allegedly attacking singer Cassie in a hotel hallway in 2016. Combs publicly apologized for the incident, admitting his behavior was “inexcusable” and taking full responsibility for his actions. He also recently asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that he and two co-defendants raped a 17-year-old girl in a New York recording studio in 2003, calling it a false claim filed too late under the law. Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by law enforcement due to a possible sex trafficking investigation earlier this year, and he has faced accusations of sexual misconduct from multiple individuals.
In addition to the lawsuit filed by McKinney, other women have accused Combs of sexual abuse and misconduct, with some allegations dating back to incidents in the early 2000s. Combs settled a lawsuit with singer Cassie that contained allegations of rape and physical abuse, and a male music producer also filed a federal lawsuit against him for sexual misconduct. These legal challenges come at a time when there is increased scrutiny on allegations of sexual abuse and harassment within the music industry, prompting calls for accountability and justice for victims. Combs’ reputation and career may be further impacted by these ongoing legal battles and the serious accusations against him.
