18 hours Ago
Five new civil lawsuits have been lodged against Sean " Diddy " Combs in a federal court in New York. Two men and three women accuse the hip-hop mogul of sexually assaulting them at various parties in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas. The youngest claimant was only 13 years old at the time of the alleged incident.
Combs remains in custody in a Brooklyn jail . He is also facing separate federal charges for sex trafficking and racketeering, which he denies. The BBC has contacted his legal team for comment on the latest cases.
His lawyers have recently dismissed the wave of lawsuits as “obvious attempts to attract publicity”, emphasising that Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—whether adult or minor, male or female.” All five of the new civil cases claim that Combs—or, by extension, through his associates—spiked alcoholic drinks at the events, which caused the plaintiffs to feel dizzy, nauseous, and disconnected from their bodies. In several of the cases, the plaintiffs allege that Combs raped them, forced them into oral sex, or assaulted them by groping.
Combs is currently awaiting trial in May of next year for federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. He faces the possibility of a life sentence if found guilty. The hip-hop star has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has been denied bail multiple times.
The indictment, alongside various lawsuits, implicates his business ventures, alleging they were instrumental in facilitating and financing his abusive behaviour both within and outside the music industry. The lawsuits also accuse Combs of exploiting his power and influence within entertainment to manipulate, intimidate, and silence those around him. One new case claims Combs and another male celebrity raped a 13-year-old girl at an after-party following the 2000 VMAs.
The second celebrity is not named in the lawsuit. Another case alleges that Combs drugged an independent musical artist at a party and raped her. She claims she woke up in pain with marks on her arms, indicating she had been tied up with ropes while unconscious.
In a third case, Combs allegedly exposed himself to a man before grabbing the man’s genitals in a “rough” and “sexual” manner. A fourth case involves a celebrity personal trainer who claims Combs assaulted him at a party at his Hollywood Hills residence in 2022. The trainer says he witnessed several high-profile celebrities engaging in group sexual activities at the party before being taken to a small room with Combs, who allegedly removed the trainer’s trousers and performed "non-consensual oral sex" on him.
The fifth new lawsuit comes from a woman who claims she was drugged at a party in Combs’ hotel room and awoke naked in bed, with the rapper speaking on the phone in the corner of the room. Combs has been facing allegations for nearly a year, ranging from rape and sexual assault to grooming and domestic violence. One lawyer has recently stated that over 100 clients plan to sue the musician for sexual assault, rape, and sexual exploitation.
He remains in jail awaiting trial in New York. Prosecutors have also alleged that he engaged in kidnapping, forced labour, bribery, and other criminal acts. They described him as the leader of a criminal enterprise that exploited women, using threats of violence to coerce them into participating in drug-fuelled orgies involving male prostitutes.
Combs pleaded not guilty to these charges and was again denied bail. His trial is set for May 2025..
