Cassandra Ventura, known professionally as Cassie, has filed a lawsuit against Sean Combs, also known as Diddy and Puff Daddy. The rapper, with whom she had a long-term relationship, is accused of raping her and subjecting her to physical abuse for a decade, starting when she was 19. Ventura further alleges that he physically assaulted her, forced her to engage in sexual acts with prostitutes while filming, all while masturbating. In one instance in 2018, he allegedly forcibly entered her home and raped her.
The lawsuit was filed yesterday in New York. Combs’ label, Bad Boy Entertainment, Epic Records, Combs Enterprises, LLC, and others, companies for which Ventura worked from 2006 to 2019, will also have to defend themselves against the accusations. The charges include sexual assault, human trafficking, sexual harassment, assault, and gender-based violence. The woman is seeking an unspecified amount of compensation.
Cassie accuses Sean "Diddy" Combs of sex trafficking and sexual assault in lawsuit. https://t.co/7eTGnqkkq0
— ABC News (@ABC) November 17, 2023
“After years of darkness and silence, I am finally ready to tell my story and speak on behalf of myself and other women who experience violence and abuse in their relationships,” Ventura declared. She filed the lawsuit now because, according to New York law, the deadlines for filing complaints are about to expire, providing her with “the opportunity to speak about the trauma I experienced and will never recover from.”
Through his lawyer, Combs denies all charges, labeling the accusations as offensive and outrageous. “Over the past six months, Mrs. Ventura has repeatedly demanded $30 million from Mr. Combs,” who threatened to write a book about their relationship—a proposal “rejected as an obvious extortion attempt.” Ventura has filed a lawsuit “full of unfounded and outrageous lies with the aim of tarnishing Combs’ reputation and gaining financial benefit.”