Hip-hop tycoon Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing a new abuse case. This time, Dawn Richard, a participant on MTV’s “Making the Band” and a longtime member of Combs’ groups, claims years of harassment and abuse under “inhumane working conditions.”
The complaint, filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, accuses Combs, 54, of “manipulating” Richard into believing that “abuse and exploitation were required for female artists to succeed in the music industry.”
Richard claims to have witnessed Combs’ abusive behavior toward his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, and Ventura and other women inspired her to speak forward.
Richard’s lawsuit provides an alarming picture of Combs’ actions over time. She claims that Combs’ behavior of women under his supervision was exploitative and humiliating. She recalled experiencing “deprivation of basic needs like adequate food and sleep” while filming “Making the Band,” a popular MTV reality show in the early 2000s.
Richard believes that the harassment continued after he joined Danity Kane, a girl group formed on the show, and then Diddy – Dirty Money. She accuses Combs of harassment, including “groping her during fitting sessions,” and details multiple incidents of violent and abusive behavior she witnessed.
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Richard’s claims go beyond her personal experience. She claimed Combs organized disturbing events, such as a 2009 party in Atlanta following the Soul Train Awards, where “dozens of young women and girls, some appearing underage,” were transported to the event. Richard also recalled seeing these women in “lethargic or passed-out states” while Combs and his guests were engaged in sexual activity.
The complaint describes additional events, including one in which Combs’ ex-wife, Kim Porter, left his studio “in tears with visible facial injuries.” Richard also claims to have observed “brutal” abuse on Ventura, which included physical violence and threats.
Despite the charges, Combs has denied all of them. However, in May, he issued a public apology for his actions in a video in which he was seen punching Ventura, stating, My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video.”
Richard’s lawsuit accuses Combs of breaching New York City’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Act, California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act, and several federal and state workplace protection statutes.
The case also includes counts of assault, sexual battery, false imprisonment, and emotional anguish, as well as intellectual property claims saying Combs violated copyrights to her music.
Combs is currently facing at least eight civil lawsuits for alleged sexual abuse, as well as a federal criminal investigation stemming from a March raid on his residences.
Richard’s case is the latest in a series of legal challenges against Combs, a once-powerful figure in the music industry who now faces growing scrutiny and calls for accountability.
Also Read: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Ordered to Pay $100 Million in Sexual Assault Judgment
