Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing a series of lawsuits, with the latest one accusing him of sexual assault in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The rapper, known for hits like “I’ll Be Missing You” and “Victory,” has denied all allegations against him. This lawsuit is the most recent in a string of legal challenges faced by Combs since November. The lawsuit accuses Combs of four counts of sexual assault, as well as assault, battery, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and violation of the victims of gender-motivated violence protection law.
One of the previous cases against Combs was settled by his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in November 2023. She accused Combs of abuse and rape, and the details of the settlement were not disclosed. Combs apologized after footage was released showing him physically assaulting Ventura. Another lawsuit filed in November by Joi Dickerson-Neal alleged that Combs drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1991 while she was a college student. This lawsuit was filed under a temporary window in New York that allows older sexual assault claims that are typically beyond the statute of limitations.
In December, Combs faced another lawsuit from an anonymous woman who accused him of drugging and gang-raping her in 2003 when she was 17 years old. The lawsuit filed by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones in February 2024 claimed that Combs directed his associates to subject Jones to unwanted advances. Jones alleged that he was forced into sexual activities with sex workers hired by Combs and that the rapper hosted “sex-trafficking parties” with underage women and illegal drugs. Combs’ attorney denied these claims, calling them “reckless name-dropping.”
In April, a lawsuit accused Combs and his son Christian of sexual assault. The lawsuit alleged that Christian sexually assaulted a woman working on a chartered boat in 2022, echoing the allegations against his father. Lawyers for Sean and Christian Combs have denied the claims. In May 2024, former model Crystal McKinney filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting her at his New York recording studio in 2003. Additionally, federal agents searched Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami in March as part of a sex trafficking investigation. While no charges have been filed, these raids are reportedly connected to a broader probe into alleged sex trafficking activities involving Combs.
Looking ahead, Combs is facing a forthcoming docuseries produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson for Netflix that will explore the abuse, rape, and sex trafficking allegations against him. This comes following a long-running feud between the two artists that dates back to 2006. Despite the legal challenges and investigations, Combs has denied all allegations against him, and his legal team has not commented on the recent developments. Newsweek is committed to covering these allegations and challenging conventional wisdom in the search for common ground.
