A new lawsuit has emerged, accusing renowned music mogul Sean Diddy Combs, famously known as Diddy, and his former bodyguard of drugging and brutally raping a woman in 2001. The woman alleges that the two men recorded the act and later shared it with their friends. Filed on Tuesday, the legal documents state that the assault took place at the Bad Boy Records studio in Manhattan, with Combs and Joseph Sherman, his ex-security chief, named as the primary perpetrators, as reported by The New York Post.
This lawsuit adds to a series of allegations against the Grammy-winning rapper and producer, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women. Combs, an influential figure in the American hip-hop industry for decades, was arrested at a New York hotel on September 16.
During a press conference, the woman, now stepping forward with her claims, expressed relief that Combs had been arrested. She described the emotional toll the incident has taken on her life, stating that it inflicted wounds that cut deep into her very being. “It’s a pain that goes to the core of who you are, leaving emotional scars that may never heal,” she explained. The shame and guilt she carried after the assault significantly impacted her daily life and well-being.
According to the lawsuit, the woman was 25 years old at the time and in a relationship with one of Combs’ employees. She claims that Combs and Sherman invited her to the Bad Boy Records studio and offered her a drink, which she believes was drugged. After consuming the beverage, she lost consciousness, only to wake up bound and restrained by the two men. They then proceeded to violently assault her, the lawsuit alleges.
The documents go on to describe how Sherman physically assaulted the woman, slamming her onto a table and forcing her to perform sexual acts. Throughout the incident, both men ignored her pleas for help. The woman’s account paints a harrowing picture of the abuse she endured that night.
The lawsuit reveals that the trauma from the assault left the woman emotionally shattered. Her pain resurfaced on November 27 of last year when she learned that the attackers had filmed the incident and shown the video to several men in an attempt to humiliate her and her boyfriend. The woman was devastated by this revelation, sinking into a deep depression and even contemplating suicide, according to the legal filing in the Manhattan federal court.
Residing in Texas, the woman explains why she never reported the crime to authorities. She feared that Combs, with his immense influence and power, would ruin her life if she tried to seek justice. Her decision to come forward now was influenced by Combs’ recent arrest on separate charges involving racketeering and sex trafficking.
At the time of the 2001 attack, the woman was going through a divorce and felt she lacked the emotional support needed to navigate the trauma. The lawsuit notes that since the incident, she has struggled with relationships, often finding herself in abusive situations. The crime has left her battling Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety. “I am emotionally scarred… While I am relieved that Combs is behind bars, it offers only temporary solace,” she stated.
In her lawsuit, the woman is seeking a court order demanding the destruction of the video footage and a permanent injunction preventing its distribution. Additionally, she is pursuing unspecified damages for the harm she has endured.
The lawsuit not only targets Combs and Sherman but also names Combs’ record companies, accusing them of facilitating and supporting the criminal actions of both men.
