Two additional women have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Sean "Diddy" Combs, just one week after the music mogul reached a settlement in a separate lawsuit filed by singer Cassie, which included accusations of rape and physical abuse.
Both of these new lawsuits were filed on Thursday, right before the expiration of the Adult Survivors Act, a New York law that allows victims of sexual abuse to file civil action within a one-year window, regardless of the statute of limitations.
The legal documents describe incidents of sexual assault, beatings, and forced drugging that allegedly took place in the early 1990s, when Combs was a talent director, party promoter, and emerging figure in New York City's hip-hop community.
One of the accusers, Joi Dickerson, claims that in 1991, when she was a 19-year-old student at Syracuse University, she agreed to meet Combs at a restaurant in Harlem. According to the filing, after their date, Combs intentionally drugged her and then brought her back to his home where he sexually assaulted her.
A lawsuit alleges that without her knowledge, Combs secretly recorded the assault and later shared it with multiple friends in the music industry. The public exposure had a devastating impact on the victim, causing her to spiral into severe depression. As a result, she was hospitalized and forced to abandon her college education.
In a separate lawsuit filed on Thursday, an unidentified woman accused Combs and R&B singer, Aaron Hall, of sexually assaulting her and a friend. The woman, referred to as Jane Doe, claims that after attending a music industry event in either 1990 or 1991, she and her roommate went back to Hall's residence with Combs. According to the lawsuit, she was coerced into engaging in sexual activity with Combs. However, the situation took a turn for the worse when Hall barged into the room, pinned her down, and forced her to have sex with him.
Afterwards, the victim discovered that her friend had also been forced to have sex with Combs and Hall in a separate room. The lawsuit suggests that Combs and Hall switched places, and proceeded to assault the victim's friend.
A few days later, an "irate" individual allegedly showed up at the home of two women in an attempt to silence them about the abuse they had experienced. The individual then proceeded to choke one of the women until she lost consciousness, according to a lawsuit.
In a statement sent via email, a spokesperson for the accused individual denied the allegations, claiming that the two women were trying to take advantage of a temporary extension of the statute of limitations provided by New York law.
An email inquiry to another individual involved in the situation, Hall, went unanswered.
Tyrone Blackburn, the attorney representing one of the accusers, stated that his client is in the process of gathering medical documents and witness statements to support her case. The lawsuit was filed late on Thursday in order to preserve the statute of limitations.
Following the recorded assault, one of the women, Dickerson, reached out to contacts in the music industry to verify the existence of a "revenge porn" tape. However, she was met with refusal from those who feared potential retaliation from the accused individual, which could result in the loss of future business and music opportunities.
As a general policy, the Associated Press does not disclose the names of individuals who claim to have been sexually abused unless they have chosen to come forward publicly, as Dickerson has.
Allegations Against Music Producer Diddy
During his rise to fame, music producer Diddy, now 54, allegedly assaulted multiple women. Despite these allegations, he went on to found his own record label, Bad Boys Records, and became one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives in the genre's history. He worked with artists such as Mary J. Blige and Biggie Smalls.
Recently, two lawsuits have been filed against Diddy. These lawsuits come after another set of explosive allegations made by Casandra Ventura, also known as Cassie, who claimed that Diddy subjected her to a pattern of abuse during their relationship. The relationship began in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37.
Ventura accused Diddy of drugging her, physically assaulting her, and forcing her to have sex with male prostitutes while he filmed them. She also alleged that he raped her when she tried to end the relationship in 2018. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount.
In a statement released by her lawyers, Ventura expressed her desire to resolve the matter "on terms that I have some level of control."
Diddy responded to the allegations by saying, "We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love."
