Singer and model Cassie has filed a lawsuit against her ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs in New York on Thursday, November 16. The singer alleges that Diddy repeatedly sex trafficked and physically abused her over the course of their 10-year relationship.
The lawsuit also alleges that Diddy raped Cassie in 2018 when she tried to leave him, reported People. Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, claims that she was stuck in a “cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking.”
Cassie reportedly feels that now is the right time to come forward.
“After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships,” she told CNN on Thursday.
“With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life.”
Diddy has denied all allegations.
Diddy’s lawyer told People that the music mogul and hip-hop icon denies all the allegations, calling them “offensive and outrageous.”
“Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. Ms. Ventura’s demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail,” attorney Ben Brafman said.
“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.”
Diddy reportedly offered Cassie hush money.
“Mr. Combs offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit. She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all woman who suffer in silence. Ms. Ventura should be applauded for her bravery,” Cassie’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement, according to People.
Details of the complaint were first reported by The New York Times.
The lawsuit details that Cassie and Diddy started dating in 2007, and that shortly after, he started giving her “copious amounts of drugs,” according to The New York Times. He also reportedly started engaging in controlling behavior, and paying for her home and car.
“All aspects of Ms. Ventura’s life were controlled by either Mr. Combs or his management companies,” the lawsuit states. It mentions that he would experience “uncontrollable rage” and claims he would “frequently beat Ms. Ventura savagely,” after which he would hide her in hotel rooms until the bruising healed.
The accusations are disturbing.
“She found herself becoming numb to the abuse she was experiencing, and became entirely beholden to Mr. Combs’s demands,” the complaint says, per People. “She began to blindly follow his instructions out of fear of again being on the receiving end of a vicious beating.”
She says he also forced her to engage with sex workers.
The lawsuit further details that Diddy would force Cassie to engage in what he would call “freak-offs” or “FOs” with sex workers, involving copious amounts of drugs including ecstasy, cocaine, GHB, ketamine, marijuana, and alcohol, reported People.
Cassie says she became afraid of what he would do if she left him.
The lawsuit alleges that when she would try to leave, he would send his workers to find her and they would manipulate and frighten her into returning. One alleged incident involved rapper Kid Cudi, whom Cassie says she had a brief relationship with before Diddy threatened to blow up his car, which Cassie reportedly believes he actually did.
Diddy is no longer in her life.
“Ms. Ventura has now fully escaped Mr. Combs, but the harm that the assaults and sexual abuse he caused her to experience for nearly a decade will forever haunt her,” the complaint says. “She has required intensive medical and psychological care to recover from the trauma she lived through.”
Cassie is now married to personal trainer Alex Fine, with whom she shares two children.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women’s shelter (domesticshelters.org).
