In a dramatic turn of events, Dawn Richard, a former member of Bad Boy Records’ girl group Danity Kane, has filed a lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The complaint, lodged in the Southern District of New York, accuses Combs of a range of severe offenses including sexual assault, battery, sex trafficking, gender discrimination, and fraud. The suit also names Harve Pierre, the former CEO of Bad Boy Entertainment.
Richard’s legal action comes on the heels of another high-profile legal battle for Combs. Just a day prior, a Michigan inmate, Derrick Lee Smith, was awarded $100 million in a case where he accused Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting him nearly three decades ago. Combs’ legal team has stated their intention to challenge this judgment.
Richard, who worked with Combs in Danity Kane and the R&B trio Diddy Dirty Money, claims that during her tenure, Combs engaged in repeated groping, physical violence, and made threats against her life. The lawsuit suggests that Combs manipulated Richard into believing such exploitation was necessary for her career advancement.
Combs’ attorney, Erica Wolff, has vehemently denied these allegations, expressing shock and disappointment. Wolff criticized Richard for allegedly fabricating claims to benefit from her album release and press tour, asserting that if Richard had truly suffered, she would not have continued collaborating with Combs or participated in projects like the “Making the Band” reboot.
Additionally, Richard accuses Combs of abusing his former girlfriend, R&B singer Cassandra Ventura, who had previously settled a lawsuit against Combs for similar accusations.
Combs, a towering figure in hip-hop and fashion, now faces these grave charges amid a whirlwind of legal controversies.
