Former Danity Kane sensation Dawn Richard has boldly filed a lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, accusing the music mogul of a litany of egregious offenses that paint a chilling portrait of power abuse. Her allegations span from repeated instances of sexual misconduct to acts of physical violence, even including her being held captive in a locked vehicle for two hours as punishment and receiving life-threatening remarks.
Richard, who also graced the stage with Diddy-Dirty Money alongside Combs and Kalenna Harper, filed the suit on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York, dragging former Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Harve Pierre into the fray as well, who faces his own sexual assault allegations tied to his tenure under Combs' wing.
Detailing a decade-long ordeal, Richard's lawsuit, obtained by Rolling Stone, exposes how Combs allegedly manipulated her with manipulative mantras, ingraining in her the belief that submission to his depraved whims was a prerequisite for career advancement in the ruthless music industry. Her narrative unfolds a grim tapestry of disturbing encounters, including drug-fueled parties where young women appeared lifeless or unconscious as Combs and his associates allegedly preyed upon them.
Richard alleges that these parties were, in essence, a "test" before Combs escalated his behavior, barging into her dressing room to grope her bare skin and make unwanted advances. In one particularly unsettling instance, he allegedly measured her bra size by cupping her breasts and offered her fake implants as a gift, all while she resisted his advances. Her resistance, however, only seemed to fuel Combs' retaliation, with her singing parts on songs being denied and her microphone being shut off during performances.
Her lawsuit echoes the harrowing allegations made by Combs' ex-girlfriend, singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, in her own sex trafficking and abuse lawsuit, filed last November. Richard claims to have witnessed Combs physically abusing Ventura firsthand, including choking and throwing scalding hot eggs at her, before dragging her up the stairs. When Richard attempted to intervene, Combs threatened her with dire consequences, suggesting he had the power to make people "disappear."
Combs' attorney, Erica Wolff, swiftly responded to Richard's allegations, dismissing them as "manufactured" and expressing shock and disappointment. She argued that Richard's continued collaborations with Combs, including the Making the Band reboot and her feature on The Love Album, contradicted her claims of a negative experience. However, Richard's attorney, Lisa Bloom, countered that it often takes time for victims to process their trauma and seek justice, adding that Richard's decision to speak out was a brave one that had inspired other potential victims to come forward.
Bloom lambasted Combs' attempts to discredit Richard by highlighting their past working relationship, asserting that women should not have to sacrifice their careers to avoid predators. She emphasized that it is the responsibility of powerful men to behave honorably and legally in all workplaces.
Richard's lawsuit adds to a growing list of accusations against Combs, who now faces allegations from seven women and one man, ranging from sex trafficking to sexual assault. Her courageous act has shed light on the years of abuse she endured, inspired by the bravery of Ventura, who made her own allegations public. Richard's story, fraught with details of dehumanization, manipulation, and violence, stands as a testament to the resilience of those who dare to speak out against injustice.
Richard's account paints a harrowing picture of repeated instances where Combs allegedly resorted to physical brutality against Ventura, choking and punching the young singer mercilessly. One particularly egregious episode, recounted in the lawsuit, occurred during a dinner gathering with Ne-Yo, Usher, and Jimmy Iovine, the then-CEO of Interscope Records. Combs, in a fit of rage, punched Ventura square in the stomach, eliciting tears and causing her to double over in excruciating pain. Despite her distress, she was subsequently escorted from the restaurant while Combs continued to mingle, unfazed.
Following Ventura's encouragement to leave Combs, Richard found herself on the receiving end of a stern warning from the mogul: "shut the fuck up" and stay out of his personal affairs. Matters escalated further when Combs allegedly attempted to physically intimidate Richard herself, lunging at her with a punch after she dared to rebuke him for his derogatory remarks. Swift intervention by Combs' bodyguard spared Richard the blow, as he whisked her away from the studio and forcibly confined her in a Bad Boy Records Bentley parked outside, where she was left shivering in solitude for two excruciating hours, unable to escape due to the absence of interior door handles. Only after calling her father, who rushed to the scene demanding her release, was she finally freed. Combs' subsequent remark to Richard, "You don't call your dad unless you're in the hospital," only added insult to injury.
Richard's testimony also sheds light on the alleged suffering of others in Combs' orbit. She recounts witnessing Kim Porter, the mother of Combs' children, emerging from his recording studio, tears streaming down her face, her face marred by visible injuries, including a split lip. Moreover, Richard alleges that Combs routinely hosted debauched parties where illegal drugs flowed freely and young women, some appearing underage, were rendered unconscious while men engaged in sexual acts with them. "This is a buffet, enjoy yourselves," Combs is said to have told his guests, revealing a disturbing mindset where such exploitation was normalized.
Richard seeks not just restitution but also compensatory and punitive damages, the quantum of which will be determined in court. Ventura's lawsuit, detailing years of physical abuse and coerced sexual encounters with male escorts during so-called "freak-offs," marked the beginning of Combs' downfall. The harrowing footage of Combs violently assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel, later corroborated by surveillance video, further solidified the allegations. Initially dismissing Ventura's 35-page lawsuit as a baseless shakedown, Combs issued a video apology upon the video's release, acknowledging his "rock bottom" state and expressing "true sorrow" for his actions. However, Ventura's legal team deemed this mea culpa as nothing more than a pathetic attempt at damage control.
In May, Rolling Stone's exhaustive six-month investigation into Combs' conduct unearthed fresh allegations of violence against a woman on the Howard campus, fresh details of physical aggression, and claims of sexual harassment against a freelance employee at a 2001 party. Multiple sources painted a picture of Combs as a serial predator, who for decades concealed his volatile temper and disturbing narcissistic tendencies beneath the veneer of fame, fortune, industry clout, and a reputation as a life-of-the-party host.
