Sean “Diddy” Combs faces 120 additional sexual assault lawsuits

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the hip-hop mogul and entertainment icon, is at the centre of a legal firestorm with 120 additional sexual assault lawsuits set to be filed against him in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami.

The suits, which were announced during a press conference in Houston, follow a cascade of allegations against Combs, marking what many are calling one of the largest sexual misconduct cases in recent history, reported Variety.

Attorney Tony Buzbee, representing several plaintiffs, declared at a press conference, “The biggest secret in the entertainment industry, that really wasn’t a secret at all, has finally been revealed to the world. The wall of silence has now been broken.”

According to reports, the alleged victims, equally male and female, ranged from nine to 38 years old at the time of the incidents, which span 30 years, dating back to the early 1990s.

Disturbingly, it has been revealed that 25 of the victims were minors at the time of the alleged assaults, with some victims having already spoken with the FBI. Half of the complainants reportedly filed police reports or sought medical attention when the incidents occurred.

Many victims allege they were drugged, with horse tranquilliser detected in several drug tests. Attorneys working on the case stated they had received over 3,000 responses after issuing a call for victims to come forward, whittling these down to 120 credible cases.

Combs’ legal team, however, continues to deny the accusations. In a statement provided to Variety, Combs’ attorney, Erica Wolff, said, “As Mr Combs’ legal team has emphasised, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus. That said, Mr Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors.”

Wolff reiterated that Combs is prepared to clear his name in court, basing his defence on evidence rather than what she described as “speculation.”

The legal saga began in November 2023, when Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, filed a sexual assault lawsuit, which was settled just one day later. However, this case triggered a wave of similar accusations. Notably, Dawn Richard, a former member of Diddy – Dirty Money, and another woman, who filed a lawsuit alleging violent rape in the early 2000s, have also stepped forward.

Adding fuel to the fire, CNN resurfaced a 2016 video earlier this year showing Combs attacking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel, corroborating some of the claims she made in her suit. Combs issued a public apology on Instagram, describing the video as an example of him “hitting rock bottom,” admitting his behaviour was “inexcusable.”

Combs was arrested last month in New York City after his Miami and Los Angeles homes were raided by Homeland Security in March. The arrest followed a grand jury indictment, which charged him with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

The indictment, which closely mirrors many of the allegations in the lawsuits, described a “persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse” that Combs allegedly exhibited towards women and others over the years.

Among the more shocking details, the indictment includes allegations that Combs and his associates orchestrated days-long events known as “freak offs,” during which victims were coerced into participating in. “Freak off supplies,” including drugs and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricants, were reportedly seized during the March raids on his homes. Combs is also accused of filming these events as leverage against victims to maintain their silence.

For now, Combs remains in custody after being denied bail, with the judge labelling him a flight risk and a threat to society. He recently filed an appeal against this decision, though it will take approximately three weeks for the courts to review his case.

As more lawsuits are expected to be filed in the coming weeks, the scale and scope of the allegations against Combs continue to grow, putting the once untouchable music mogul under intense scrutiny.