Westchester Native, Producer Sean Combs Accused Of Rape, Abuse By Ex-Girlfriend: Reports

Successful hip-hop producer and New York native Sean Combs, who is also known as "Puff Daddy," "P. Diddy," and "Diddy," is being sued and accused of rape and abuse by Cassie, an R&B singer who was once his romantic partner, according to numerous reports.

Hip-hop producer Sean Combs (left) is being sued by singer Cassie (right), his former romantic partner, on rape and abuse claims.
Photo Credit: *Wikimedia Commons/Arthur from Westchester County north of NYC, USA, at Arthur@NYCArthur.com, David Shankbone*

Ben Crnic

11/17/2023 5:30 p.m.

The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, Nov. 16 in the US District Court in Manhattan, accuses the producer of abusing his former romantic partner for over a decade and raping her in 2018 toward the end of their relationship, according to a report by The New York Times.

According to Cassie, a native of New London, Connecticut whose real name is Casandra Ventura, Combs, a native of Westchester County who grew up in Mount Vernon, began abusing her in 2005 when she was 19 years old.

Over the years, this abuse included forcing her to take drugs, beatings, and even forced sex with male prostitutes while Combs watched and filmed, the lawsuit is reported to say.

The abuse culminated when Combs allegedly forced his way into Ventura's home and raped her, according to the outlet's report.

In a statement, Ventura said she decided to file the lawsuit because of the fast-approaching expiration of New York's Adult Survivors Act, which allows sexual abuse victims a one-year period to file civil claims that would normally be affected by the statute of limitations.

She also stated, "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," according to a report by CNBC.

In response to the claims in Ventura's lawsuit, Combs' lawyer Ben Brafman said that Combs "vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations." He also stated that Ventura had threatened to harm his reputation by writing a book about their relationship unless she was paid $30 million, according to The New York Times.

Despite this, Ventura’s attorney Douglas Wigdor said that Combs actually offered Ventura "eight figures" to stop her from filing the lawsuit, according to CNN.

"She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all women who suffer in silence. Ms. Ventura should be applauded for her bravery," Wigdor said in a statement reported by CNN.

Combs is a rapper, producer, and record executive who is known as one of the most significant people in the music industry. He founded his own record label, Bad Boy Records, in 1993 and is also known for his association with the Ciroc vodka brand and his clothing label, Sean John.

According to CNBC, Ventura's lawsuit also names some of Combs' enterprises as defendants, including Bad Boy Records, Bad Boy Entertainment, Epic Records, and Combs Enterprises.

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