R Kelly Style: Cassie Sues Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Alleging Years Of Abuse, Violence And Sex Trafficking
Singer Cassie, born Casandra Ventura, has taken legal action against her former boss and romantic partner, Sean “Diddy” Combs.
She has accused the hip-hop music mogul of subjecting her to years of “abuse, violence, and sex trafficking” during their relationship.
The allegations have been denied by Combs. The complaint was filed in Manhattan federal court on Thursday, where Cassie claims that Combs enticed her into a lavish, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle, and into a romantic relationship with him. This all occurred after their first meeting in 2005, when Cassie was 19 and Combs was 37.
In her complaint, Ventura outlined the various instances of abuse she faced during her relationship with Combs. According to her, Combs raped her at home in 2018 when she attempted to leave him, made her engage in sexual acts with male sex workers while recording the encounters, and even made her carry his firearm in her purse to intimidate her. One of the most serious allegations in the lawsuit is that Combs threatened to blow up Kid Cudi’s car after he found out that Ventura was dating the rapper in 2012.
“Around that time, Kid Cudi’s car exploded in his driveway,” the complaint alleges.
In a statement to the New York Times, a spokeswoman for Kid Cudi confirmed Ventura’s account of what happened, saying, “This is all true.”
“The truth, however, is that Cassie—Ms. Casandra Ventura—was held down by Mr. Combs and endured over a decade of his violent behavior and disturbed demands,” the complaint says. “For Ms. Ventura, the “dark times” were those she spent trapped by Mr. Combs in a cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking.”
“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,” Ventura said in a statement to CNN.
“With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life,” she added.
In the meantime, Diddy has refuted the accusations against Ventura in a formal statement issued by his legal representative.
“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,” Combs’s attorney said in a statement to the Times.
“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.”
