Current:Home > MyCassie Settles Lawsuit Accusing Sean "Diddy" Combs of Rape and Abuse -FinanceMind
Cassie Settles Lawsuit Accusing Sean "Diddy" Combs of Rape and Abuse
View
Date:2025-04-11 14:10:53
Content warning: This story discusses sexual assault and abuse.
Sean "Diddy" Combs and ex-girlfriend Cassie have reached a settlement over her lawsuit accusing him of rape and abuse, allegations he denied.
The news was announced Nov. 17, a day after she sued the rapper in a New York court for alleged sexual assault, battery, sex trafficking and subjecting her to a hostile work environment.
"I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control," the singer, full name Cassandra Ventura, said in a statement to NBC News. "I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support."
Her lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, added, "I am very proud of Ms. Ventura for having the strength to go public with her lawsuit. She ought to be commended for doing so."
Diddy, who also goes by the name Love, said in his own statement to the outlet, "We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love."
The 54-year-old and Cassie dated on and off for almost a decade before they split in 2018. In her Nov. 16 lawsuit, she accused him of physical and sexual abuse throughout their relationship.
In her complaint, obtained by NBC News, Cassie, 37, alleged she was "lured" into dating Diddy, who she called a "vicious, cruel, and controlling man," after signing with his record label. She cited fear of repercussions for an album deal if she rejected his advances and alleged that throughout their relationship, he "punched, beat, kicked and stomped on" her and forced her to engage in sex acts with male sex workers. She also stated in the lawsuit that in 2018, the two met for dinner to discuss breaking up and that Diddy allegedly later "forced himself into her apartment" 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," she said in a statement to NBC News Nov. 16. "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."
Diddy's attorney Ben Brafman later told E! News in a statement, "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' reputation and seeking a payday."
E! News previously reached out to reps for Cassie for comment but hasn't heard back.
(E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org.veryGood! (17937)
Related
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Trump golf course criminal investigation is officially closed, Westchester D.A. says
- Great British Bake Off's Prue Leith Recalls 13-Year Affair With Husband of Her Mom's Best Friend
- Idaho dropped thousands from Medicaid early in the pandemic. Which state's next?
- B.A. Parker is learning the banjo
- Vernon Loeb Joins InsideClimate News as Senior Editor of Investigations, Enterprise and Innovations
- George W. Bush's anti-HIV program is hailed as 'amazing' — and still crucial at 20
- Rachel Bilson Baffled After Losing a Job Over Her Comments About Sex
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- Despite Pledges, Birmingham Lags on Efficiency, Renewables, Sustainability
Ranking
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Big Three Automaker Gives Cellulosic Ethanol Industry a Needed Lift
- 5 Texas women denied abortions sue the state, saying the bans put them in danger
- This is the period talk you should've gotten
- Questlove charts 50 years of SNL musical hits (and misses)
- Fossil Fuel Industries Pumped Millions Into Trump’s Inauguration, Filing Shows
- 2018’s Hemispheric Heat Wave Wasn’t Possible Without Climate Change, Scientists Say
- Michigan bans hairstyle discrimination in workplaces and schools
Recommendation
Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
FDA authorizes the first at-home test for COVID-19 and the flu
Infant found dead inside garbage truck in Ohio
DOJ report finds Minneapolis police use dangerous excessive force and discriminatory conduct
Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
Fracking Ban About to Become Law in Maryland
The 4 kidnapped Americans are part of a large wave of U.S. medical tourism in Mexico
Tori Spelling Says Mold Infection Has Been Slowly Killing Her Family for Years