When Sean “Diddy” Combs was charged in a federal intercourse trafficking investigation final month, it unleashed a wave of lawsuits detailing how the music trade mogul allegedly drugged and assaulted women and men for years undeterred.
But the piecemeal allegations raised in legal and civil circumstances have did not reply an important query that attorneys, investigators and Internet sleuths have hinted at: Who else was concerned?
This week, for the primary time, celebrities aside from Combs have been accused in civil lawsuits of collaborating in assaults at events hosted by the Bad Boy Records founder. The stars, nevertheless, weren’t recognized by identify.
A federal lawsuit filed this week within the Southern District of New York entails a lady, recognized as Jane Doe, who claims she was 13 when she was raped by Combs and a male movie star, recognized solely as Celebrity A, whereas a feminine movie star, known as Celebrity B in courtroom paperwork, checked out.
The girl claims in authorized filings that the night time of September 7, 2000, started together with her outdoors Radio City Music Hall in New York City, attempting to make her manner into the Video Music Awards. She approached a number of limousine drivers, together with one who claimed to work for Combs, she stated.
“He advised her that Combs preferred youthful women and that she ‘match what Diddy was on the lookout for,’” the lawsuit reads. The driver invited her to an afterparty and advised her to return again later that night time.
When she did, the motive force took her to a big white home with a U-shaped driveway, and as soon as inside, she was advised to signal a nondisclosure settlement, the lawsuit says. Inside, an expensive occasion was happening. Servers carried trays of drinks, loud music blared all through the home and partygoers snorted cocaine and used marijuana, based on the indictment.
After ending a drink – a combination of orange juice, cranberry juice and one thing bitter – she says she began to really feel dizzy and located an empty bed room to relaxation. Combs entered the room with two celebrities. He approached her “with a loopy look in his eyes, grabbed her and stated ‘You’re able to occasion!’” the lawsuit states.
The unnamed male movie star raped the woman, whereas Combs and the unidentified feminine movie star allegedly watched. Combs then raped the woman whereas the opposite two celebrities watched, based on the indictment.
Combs’ attorneys denied the newest allegations in an announcement.
“The press convention and 1-800 name that preceded the barrage of paperwork (on Sunday) have been clear makes an attempt to garner publicity,” they stated. “Mr. Combs and his authorized staff have full confidence within the details, of their authorized defenses, and within the integrity of the judicial course of. The fact will prevail in courtroom: Mr. Combs has by no means sexually assaulted anybody, grownup or minor, man or girl .
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represents greater than 100 individuals who say they have been victims of Combs, has beforehand promised to call celebrities concerned within the alleged sexual abuse. At a press convention final month he stated the names contained within the fits can be “stunning”.
“Many of you may have come right here pondering, hoping or possibly believing that I would begin naming names,” Buzbee stated final month. “That day will come, however it will not be right this moment.”
But it did not occur.
Several sources concerned in representing Hollywood A-listers advised the Times they feared their purchasers have been implicated even by mere affiliation with Combs. Many have purchasers who’ve gone to Combs’ events.
Buzbee, they argue, is enjoying on worry of implications. The Texas-based lawyer has already stated he has made offers with “a handful” of outstanding people who could also be linked to Combs.
Buzbee didn’t return a cellphone name from The Times in search of additional remark.
David Ring, who has represented intercourse crime survivors in a few of California’s most high-profile circumstances, stated not naming celebrities who might have been concerned in wrongdoing provides victims’ attorneys an opportunity to barter settlements.
“If they’re publicly recognized, the movie star will in all probability have interaction and deny all allegations and battle to the tip,” he stated. “However, if they’re given the chance to settle rapidly and stop their identify from ever being introduced publicly, lots of them will leap at that chance.”
In one other lawsuit filed by Buzbee this week towards Combs, a private coach recognized solely as John Doe claims he was drugged and compelled to carry out oral intercourse on an unnamed male movie star throughout an awards afterparty at Combs’ house within the hills of Hollywood in June 2022.
“While out and in of consciousness, folks on the occasion pressured the plaintiff to have interaction in sexual acts with each women and men. Plaintiff’s bodily disposition made it inconceivable for him to repel their advances or in any other case management his physique. These people, together with Combs, primarily handed round Plaintiff’s drugged physique as a celebration favor for his or her sexual pleasure,” the lawsuit reads.
U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman this week ordered Buzbee to file a movement to permit the private coach to proceed within the case utilizing an alias. He additionally requested {that a} assertion be filed beneath seal “discloses his id and the id of any occasion not named within the grievance to the courtroom.”
Combs, 54, stays in custody on the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and has pleaded not responsible to costs of intercourse trafficking, racketeering and transportation to have interaction in prostitution. He has denied a number of claims of abuse which were outlined in at the least 18 civil fits filed towards him over the previous 12 months.
The legal case introduced by federal prosecutors alleged an enormous community that will have required a number of folks to recruit victims, arrange intercourse exhibits referred to as “freak-offs,” clear up and canopy their tracks to keep away from outdoors scrutiny.
“Combs didn’t do it on their lonesome,” stated Damian Williams, the U.S. lawyer for the Southern District of New York, in asserting the fees. “He used his enterprise, that firm’s workers and different shut associates to get what he wished.”
Federal prosecutors stated earlier this month that Combs might face a superseding indictment that will open the door to extra costs for Combs and maybe different defendants.
