Cassandra Ventura, American singer and ex-girlfriend of hip-hop artiste Sean “Diddy” Combs. Photo: Getty Images
Cassandra Ventura, American singer and ex-girlfriend of hip-hop artiste Sean “Diddy” Combs has sued the rapper for sexual assault.
In the suit filed at a New York federal Court on Thursday, Ventura alleged that the entertainment mogul had raped and physically abused her while they were in a relationship, NBC News reports.
The 37-year-old singer also claimed that Combs, 54, had lured her into a relationship, making it difficult for her to refuse as she was scared for her career an upcoming artiste signed to his label.
After they began dating in 2007, Ventura stated that Combs was often driven by jealousy and rage to harm other men who showed romantic interest in her. On one occasion, she claimed Diddy had blown up a man’s car after he learnt that the latter liked her. To keep her locked under his control, the singer said Combs constantly assaulted her and also introduced “her to a drug-fueled lifestyle that kept her complacent and compliant.”
“She found herself becoming numb to the abuse she was experiencing, and became entirely beholden to Mr. Combs’s demands. She began to blindly follow his instructions out of fear of again being on the receiving end of a vicious beating,” the complaint read.
She also alleged in the suit that Diddy had forced her to have sex with several male sex workers while he watched and filmed them.
Diddy’s lawyer, Ben Brafman has responded to the allegations tagging them “offensive and outrageous”. He also claimed that prior to filing to suit, Ventura had tried to blackmail the rapper by threatening to write a book that could damage Diddy’s reputation if he did not pay her $30 million.
Brafman’s statement read in part, “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 pay day.”
Cassie and Diddy met in 2005 after she signed to his record label, Bad Boy Records. The couple became official in 2007 and dated on and off till 2018 when they officially parted ways.
