SEAN “Diddy” Combs is facing a time of “reckoning,” just like disgraced singer R. Kelly once did, a victims’ lawyer has said.
Lisa Bloom represents Diddy’s latest accuser, Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard, who has accused the rap mogul of sexual assaulting her, making death threats against her and exploitation.
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Richard’s lawsuit was filed just days before Diddy was arrested at a New York hotel and indicted amid a federal sex trafficking investigation.
An indictment filed today lays out disturbing allegations in which Diddy is accused of forcing female victims and male sex workers into drugged-induced, sometimes days-long sex sessions, dubbed “freak offs.”
In allegations dating back to 2008, the star is accused of abusing, threatening and coercing his victims for years “to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
Speaking at a press conference, US attorney for the southern district of New York, Damian Williams, claimed Diddy used his business empire to organize the criminal activity, including “sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and the obstruction of justice.”
Responding to the indictment today, Bloom described Combs’ arrest as “long overdue” and said it was a “big, moving day for victims.”
“Unfortunately, in my experience of decades of sexual harassment and abuse cases, the music industry is the worst industry for women, followed second by the fashion industry. And Sean Combs is involved in both,” Lisa Bloom told The U.S. Sun.
“There has been a culture in those industries of just glossing over women’s complaints of sexual abuse and sexual assault. Women are overly sexualized, they’re objectified, they’re just not taken seriously.
“And I would hope this case would begin a reckoning in the music industry, which is long overdue.
“I think actually R. Kelly is a good parallel because for many, many years, he was accused in the music industry of abusing women and it was glossed over, it was ignored, and finally there was a reckoning.
“And the same thing should be coming, in my opinion, for Diddy. He is going to fight hard. He’s going to use everything that he has. He’s going to use his high-priced legal team… I think justice is coming for him and I hope to be a part of it.”
R. Kelly was sentenced to over 30 years in prison after being convicted of a slew of crimes including sex trafficking, child pornography and kidnapping.
Bloom said her client would “certainly” be willing to cooperate in any legal investigation of Combs’ activities.
She described how it had been “excruciating” for her client to watch Diddy’s success in the music and fashion industries over the years, but she was inspired to come forward after seeing how Diddy’s ex girlfriend Cassie Ventura had come forward and sued the rap mogul.
Cassie settled her lawsuit last November but months later a sickening surveillance video emerged showed Diddy kicking and dragging her along a hotel hallway.
According to Richard’s lawsuit, filed in New York last week, she regularly witnessed Diddy abusing Cassie but was on the receiving end of death threats when she tried to interfene.
“Mr. Combs regularly hurled objects in fits of rage, often throwing items such as mobile phones, laptops, food, and studio equipment across the room or at people,” the lawsuit reads.
“On numerous occasions, Ms. Richard witnessed Mr. Combs brutally beat his girlfriend, Ms. Casandra Ventura…
“His persistent abuse included choking and strangling Ms. Ventura, striking her with his hands and with objects, slapping her, punching her, and throwing items at her, including a scalding hot pan.
“On many occasions, Ms. Richard tried to intervene, offering Ms. Ventura support and encouragement to leave Mr. Combs.
“Each time, Mr. Combs learned of her efforts to help Ms. Ventura and became enraged, threatening Ms. Richard’s life with statements such as ‘you want to die today,’ ‘I make n***** go missing’ and ‘I end people.'”
Richard also accuses Combs of “withholding her rightful earnings,
stealing her copyrighted works, and subjecting her to years of inhumane working conditions which included groping, assault, and false imprisonment.”
“I will tell you that I’m very proud of Dawn. I think she is so brave, in that she was willing to come forward and file this complaint with its many allegations. And she had the choice of doing that as a Jane Doe,” Bloom added.
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“We discussed that at some length and she decided why should she not hide her head in shame.
“She has nothing to be ashamed of. She’s proud of coming forward. She should be proud of coming forward and so she filed the case using her own name, Dawn Richard.
“But as for the specific allegations, we’re going to prove those in court.
“As you can imagine, it is very, very difficult to come forward with allegations like these against somebody as powerful and wealthy as Sean Combs.
“For many years, he has been one of the leading individuals in the music industry and in the fashion industry. And it is just excruciating for Dawn.
“She had to think long and hard about whether she wanted to do this. It took many years for her to come forward.
“Her allegations go back to 2004. But like many women, over time, she has gotten stronger. She has gotten braver. And she was also inspired by some of the others who have come forward, in particular, Cassie Ventura, who very bravely filed her complaint last year…
“And Dawn really was very moved by that and felt that she needed to come forward now and add her voice to the story and tell her own story.”
Diddy’s lawyers who responded to Dawn’s lawsuit in a statement which read: “In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour.”
‘ABSURD AND OFFENSIVE’
Bloom hit back, saying it was “absurd” of Combs to attack his accuser.
“You know, it’s absolutely absurd and offensive that Diddy, through his high-priced lawyers, has decided to go on the attack against Dawn Richard,” she said.
“This is the same tactic he used for Cassie Ventura and all of the others who have come forward to go on the attack until that horrific video was released of him assaulting Cassie Ventura.
“And only then did he issue a video, I’m sure, at the advice of his publicists and crisis managers and lawyers where he feels sorry for himself and apologizes. So we know this is his playbook.
“Attack his accusers until physical evidence comes out and then apologize, right? It’s very sad that that’s what he’s chosen to do against Dawn.”
Bloom argued that a woman “should never have to choose between her career and her dignity” and said it was “absurd” to suggest Dawn would time her lawsuit to coincide with an album launch.
“Dawn Richard has launched many albums. She has toured and performed for decades. Nobody wants to talk about being a victim of abuse when they have an album coming out,” she said.
“That is absurd. That does not help album sales. In reality, Dawn came to me several months ago, and this is a very complicated legal complaint.
“It took us months to investigate her allegations, put together the factual section and make sure that we had every I dotted and T crossed.
“We had to research some fairly complex legal issues. Incidents happened in California and New York. We had to make a decision about what court to file in. Ultimately, we filed in federal court in New York.
Diddy’s full statement
Marc Agnifilo, attorney for Sean “Diddy
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community.
“He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.
“Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts.
“These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
“All of that took time. And that was through no fault of Dawn. That was my legal team doing its homework, doing our due diligence. And ultimately, when we got to the end of that process, we filed the case.”
So it had nothing to do with her career or her album. But we did tell her, yes, go ahead and do your work. Have your tour, release your album, do your thing. That’s what you do.
“And that’s what your fans want.”
Combs has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The indictment also alleges Diddy used senior employees, as well as personal assistants and security staff, to set up his debauched sex sessions.
“They booked the hotel rooms and stocked them with the supplies, including drugs, baby oil, personal lubricant, extra linens and lighting,” Williams said.
Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo today said the star plans to plead not guilty and “will fight this with all of his energy.”
He said he anticipates a long legal battle, but is confident of a good outcome for the rapper.
Agnifilo added that his client’s “spirits are good” and he was “confident”.
