Sean 'Diddy' Combs sexual harassment suit includes notable music industry names
Recent sex abuse lawsuits against music impresario Sean “Diddy” Combs have damaged his reputation and career. But a new suit from music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones makes new, explosive claims about Combs’ alleged assaults and misconduct in granular detail, naming several prominent artists and music executives as well.
Jones, who worked closely with Combs on his recent release “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” sued him in federal court in New York on Monday, alleging Combs sexually and physically abused him, engaged in sex trafficking and ran his inner circle as a “RICO enterprise” that functioned like a criminal organization. Jones’ suit contains what he says are photos, videos and screenshots corroborating his allegations.
Combs denied the previous claims against him, including those from a former partner, R&B singer Cassie, whose November suit kicked off a wave of complaints against Combs under New York’s Adult Survivors Act.
Combs’ attorney Shawn Holley said in a statement that “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”
Read more: Diddy's 'Love' producer Lil Rod accuses him and associates of sexual assault, illicit behavior
Jones’ suit is a sprawling document that names well-known music executives, celebrities and bit players in Combs’ circle. While some famous names are redacted (though alluded to with blind-item-style clues), here is a guide to the many names that appear in the suit.
Rodney “Lil Rod" Jones
A Chicago-born producer who recorded with gospel-inspired acts like the Clark Sisters and Georgia Mass Choir. Jones produced nine songs on Diddy’s “Love Album” between September 2022 and November 2023.
Sean “Diddy” Combs
The producer, Bad Boy Entertainment founder, media executive and celebrity spokesman had a monumental hip-hop career dating back to the early 1990s. He helped launched the career of the Notorious B.I.G., scored platinum records of his own and oversaw businesses that made him one of music’s richest men. The claims from last year’s lawsuits made him toxic in the industry, however, and Jones’ new claims likely will add to that sentiment.
Among the many allegations in the suit, Jones said Combs sexually saluted and harassed him while they worked at Combs’ homes in Los Angeles, New York, Florida and on a yacht in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He claims Combs forced him to procure sex workers and participate in group sex with him, and that Combs drugged him in February of last year. He also said Combs was involved in a shooting at a Hollywood recording studio in 2022.
Read more: Behind the calamitous fall of hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Justin Dior Combs
Diddy’s adult son who, Jones claims, also was present at the 2022 shooting at Chalice Recording Studios. Jones alleges Justin solicited sex workers for the crew around Diddy and participated in the “freak-off” group sex events. A rep for Justin Combs said in a statement, “Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family.”
Kristina Khorram
Diddy’s chief of staff who, Jones alleges in his lawsuit, procured sex workers for Combs and would “instruct her staff to lace Champagne, DeLeon [tequila], and Ciroc liquor bottles with ecstasy and other [illicit] drugs,” and “required all employees from the butler, the chef to the housekeepers, to walk around with a pouch or fanny pack filled with cocaine, GHB, ecstasy” and other drugs. Khorram did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ethiopia Habtemariam
The former CEO of Motown Records, which partnered with Combs on his Love Records imprint. Jones claims Habtemariam visited Combs’ homes during writing sessions and social gatherings, and that she "had a duty and obligation to ensure that sex workers and underaged girls were not present, and that Mr. Combs was not spiking the alcohol with date rape drugs.” A rep for Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read more: A fourth woman, who was a minor at the time, accuses Sean 'Diddy' Combs of sexual assault
Lucian Grainge
The CEO of Universal Music Group, the world's largest record label conglomerate and Motown’s parent company. Jones claims Grainge also “attended several Love Album listening parties at Mr. Combs’ home in Los Angeles, California,” where some of the alleged misconduct took place. A rep for Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Stevie J
A music producer and longtime Bad Boy Entertainment affiliate who worked on Diddy’s debut album in 1997. Stevie J also worked on “The Love Album” with Jones, who claimed that Combs “used access to Stevie J, and his knowledge of Mr. Jones admiration of Stevie J to groom and entice Mr. Jones.” Stevie J told TMZ in an interview, "These allegations are false and my lawyer will be handling this going forward."
Yung Miami
The City Girls rapper who, Jones alleges in the suit, was part of a group that "were paid a monthly fee to work as Mr. Combs’ sex workers and received payment via wire transfer." Jones also alleges that Yung Miami's female cousin, unnamed in the suit, sexually assaulted him at a party in 2022. Representatives for Yung Miami did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Read more: Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Cassie settle lawsuit one day after she accused him of rape and abuse
Cuba Gooding Jr.
The actor who, Jones claims, made sexual advances toward him on Diddy’s yacht after Diddy’s “grooming him to pass him off to his friends.” Gooding 's manager did not respond to a request for comment.
“G”
A friend of Justin Combs’ who was Jones says was shot at Chalice Studios in 2022. Jones claims members of Diddy’s crew were instructed to lie about the location of the shooting.
Faheem Muhammad
Diddy’s head of security, who, Jones claims, “had the power to make people and problems disappear” and served as an intermediary between the LAPD and Diddy after the Chalice shooting. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Robin Greenhill
Diddy's accountant, who, Jones claims, oversaw payments to sex workers. Greenhill, of Tri Star Sports & Entertainment, is best known for working with Britney Spears' father to oversee the singer's conservatorship; Britney Spears accused Greenhill of intrusive surveillance. A rep for Tri Star declined comment.
DeForrest Taylor
An A&R executive for Love Records who, Jones claims, threatened him after Jones asked to be paid for his production work. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read more: The music industry is finally having its #MeToo moment
Brendan Paul
Jones claims in the suit that Paul “works as Mr. Combs’ mule. He acquires, and distributes, Mr. Combs’ drugs and guns.” He could not be located for comment.
Frankie Santella
Jones alleges that Santella "carries the money and pays for the Guns and Drugs” alongside Paul. He could not be located for comment.
Moy Baun
Jones claims Baun helped procure sex workers for “freak-offs” at Diddy’s homes. He could not be located for comment.
Jose Cruz
Diddy’s IT director, who, Jones claims, oversees hidden cameras placed throughout Diddy’s homes and is “the gatekeeper to all of [Mr. Combs] recordings” of events in his house. He could not be located for comment.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
