new york –
Sean “Diddy” Combs was accused in a lawsuit Thursday of subjecting R&B singer Cassie to a long-term relationship that included beatings and rape.
Kathy, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura, claims in a lawsuit filed against the producer and music mogul in New York federal court that shortly after they met Combs, he described her as “flamboyant, fast-paced, and addicted to drugs.” He claims that he has led a fulfilling lifestyle. They signed to his label in 2005, when she was 19 and he was 37.
His lawyer, Ben Brafman, said Combs “vehemently denies” the charges.
Ventura, now 37, said Combs, now 54, began a pattern of abuse as soon as their relationship began.
The suit says the man was “prone to uncontrollable rages” and assaulted her “brutally” by punching, kicking and stomping her. She claims her suspect drugged her and forced her to have sex with other men while he masturbated and filmed her doing so.
The complaint alleges that in 2018, as she was ending their relationship, Combs forced her into his Los Angeles home and raped her.
“After years of living in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story,” Ventura said in a statement. I’m ready to speak up for other women who are suffering.”
The Associated Press typically does not publish the names of people who say they were sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Ventura did.
Brafman called the allegations “lies.”
“For the past six months, Mr. Combs has received threats from Mr. Ventura to write a damaging book about their relationship and persistent demands for $30 million, which is an outright threat,” he said in a statement. It was clearly rejected as such.” “Despite retracting his initial threat, Mr. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit filled with baseless and outrageous lies to damage Mr. Combs’ reputation and seek his salary.”
Combs is one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past 30 years.
He and Ventura began dating in 2007 and had an on-and-off relationship for more than a decade.
She became known for her hit single “Me & U,” produced by Ryan Leslie, which secured the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 2006. The song was the lead single from her only studio album. It was self-titled.
As an actor, she has appeared in several television and film projects, including Fox’s “Empire,” “Step Up 2: The Streets,” and “Spenser Confidential.”
Combs built one of hip-hop’s biggest empires, paving the way with several organizations associated with his famous name. He is the founder of Bad Boy Records, a three-time Grammy Award winner, and has worked with many top artists including The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil’ Kim, Faith Evans, 112, and many more. I’ve been working.
The mogul founded the fashion clothing line Sean John, launched the music-focused Revolt TV channel, and produced the MTV reality show “Making the Band.”
This year, he released his fifth studio album, The Love Album: Off the Grid, which received two Grammy nominations this month.
The complaint cites a speech Combs gave when he accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 BET Awards, in which he thanked Ventura for “supporting me through dark times.” Stated.
“The truth, however, is that Kathy, Ms. Cassandra Ventura, was held down by Mr. Combs and endured his violent behavior and thwarted demands for more than a decade,” the complaint states. .
