Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sued for Sexual Assault by Former Bad Boy Records Singer

By Danielle Broadway

Dawn Richard, a former singer with Bad Boy Records, has initiated legal action against music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, claiming sexual assault and battery, sex trafficking, gender discrimination, and fraud, as outlined in court documents.

Richard submitted the lawsuit on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York, also including former Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Harve Pierre as a defendant. This filing follows a day after a Michigan inmate received a $100 million judgment against Combs for alleged drugging and sexual assault at a party nearly three decades ago, a ruling Combs’ attorney indicated they would challenge.

Richard is known for her roles in the girl group Danity Kane and the R&B trio Diddy Dirty Money, both affiliated with Bad Boy Records. In a statement regarding the lawsuit, Combs’ attorney, Erica Wolff, expressed that the rapper is prepared to disprove Richard’s allegations in court.

Wolff described Combs’ reaction as one of shock and disappointment, alleging that Richard’s claims are fabricated and timed to coincide with her album release. She argued that if Richard had truly experienced negative interactions during her time with Combs, she would not have continued collaborating with him on past projects or participated in their 2020 reboot.

In the lawsuit, Richard claims that during her association with Combs, he repeatedly groped her, was physically aggressive, and even trapped her in a car while threatening her life. Richard first met Combs during her audition for the MTV series "Making the Band" back in 2004, where she alleges he began exhibiting inappropriate behavior.

The lawsuit states that Combs manipulated Richard into believing that submission to his demands was essential for her career, fostering the notion that such exploitation was a prerequisite for female artists in the music industry.

Additionally, Richard alleged that she witnessed Combs abusing his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassandra Ventura, who last year settled a lawsuit against him that accused him of ongoing physical abuse, sexual slavery, and rape.

Combs remains one of the most significant figures in the hip-hop industry as both a producer and executive, as well as a successful artist and the founder of the Sean John clothing line.