Cassie Files Lawsuit Against Diddy, Citing Rape, Sex Trafficking, Physical Abuse For Over A Decade
Warning: The following article contains triggering language related to sexual assault, abuse, and rape.
Cassie has filed a chilling lawsuit against her ex, Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing him of repeated physical abuse for over a decade, sex trafficking, sexual battery, sexual assault, and violations of New York City’s gender-motivated violence law.
According to The New York Times, the suit was filed Thursday (Nov. 16) in Manhattan Federal District Court under New York State’s Adult Survivors Act, which allows sexual abuse victims to file civil suits against their alleged assailants after the statute of limitations expired. The one-year window to bring cases under this law ends next week.
“With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life,” said the R&B singer, legal name Casandra Ventura-Fine.
Her lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, stated that both parties spoke of the lawsuit before its filing and Combs reportedly offered Ventura “eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit,” but “she rejected his efforts.”
She met the Combs Global mogul in 2005, when she was 19, and claims that he began his “pattern of control and abuse” almost immediately. He allegedly manipulated her with drugs like ecstasy and ketamine, assaulted her, and forced her to sleep with several male prostitutes as he watched, masturbated, and recorded the encounters. Near the end of their relationship in 2018, Ventura claims that Combs forced himself into her 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,” said Ventura, 37, in a statement.
Not only is Combs accused of abusing the mother of two, but of being responsible for holding Ventura’s friend over a hotel balcony and blowing up Kid Cudi’s car, which the rapper confirmed to be true. She also claimed that The Bad Boy Records founder had enablers who helped conceal his “controlling” behavior.
“Ms. Ventura felt that saying ‘no’ to Mr. Combs would cost her something — her family, her friends, her career, or even her life,” the lawsuit noted.
Combs’ lawyer, Ben Brafman, issued a statement in response to the lawsuit: “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. 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. 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.”
The year after Ventura and Diddy split, she married trainer Alex Fine. They share two children.
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