Casandra Ventura, best known as the singer Cassie, has sued her former longtime romantic partner, Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing him of rape and a decade’s worth of physical abuse. According to the New York Times, Ventura filed sued today (November 16) in Manhattan Federal District Court, claiming that from shortly after they met in 2005 (she was 19 at the time), he exercised a pattern of abuse and manipulation that included beatings, drugs, coerced sex with male prostitutes, and at least one occasion, rape.
In a statement, Cassie wrote, “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.”
Diddy’s lawyer, Ben Brafman, wrote in response, “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’s reputation and seeking a payday.”
However, Ventura’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, characterized the proposal differently. “Mr. Combs offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit,” he said. “She rejected his efforts.”
The lawsuit names a number of other defendants as people who helped Diddy maintain the secrecy of these incidents, as well as claiming that he used threats, such as withholding her music, to coerce her compliance. He allegedly exercised control over her housing, transportation, and even medical records, while pushing her to take ecstasy and ketamine. Ventura says that he would become violent when angered, which was multiple times a year.
There are more detailed accounts in the Times‘ report, which readers should be warned are graphic in nature. It should be noted that there is at least one report of police involvement in the couple’s relationship woes.
