Diddy faces new abuse lawsuit filed by ‘Making the Band’ contestant

Sean “Diddy” Kammen is facing another abuse lawsuit, this time filed by an MTV contestant Making the band and a longtime member of his band who says he harassed and assaulted her during “years of inhumane working conditions.”

In a complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, Dawn Richard says the embattled hip-hop mogul “manipulated” her into thinking “abuse and exploitation were necessary for female artists to succeed in the music industry.”

Richard claims she witnessed Combs assaulting his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura on several occasions – and that recent lawsuits by Ventura and others have prompted her to speak out.

“As more women courageously come forward, Plaintiff is empowered by this collective strength and now adds her voice to the growing chorus of victims bravely sharing their harrowing stories,” Richard’s attorneys wrote. “Together, they seek justice and stand in solidarity as the latest victims of the music industry’s #MeToo movement.”

Once one of the most powerful men in the music industry, Diddy has faced at least eight civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse in the past year, including claims from Ventura that were later followed by a video of him assaulting her. The hip-hop mogul is also facing a federal criminal investigation after authorities raided his home in March.

Although the rapper denies the legal allegations against him, he apologized in May for his behavior captured on video of the attack in Ventura: “My behavior in that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video.”

In her new lawsuit, Richard says she first met Combs after she was selected for Season 3 of Making the banda popular MTV reality show in the early 2000s that featured up-and-coming artists working under Combs’ direction.

She was ultimately chosen as the winner of that season and joined the Diddy-led girl group Danity Kane, which released two albums in the late 2000s. When the band broke up in 2009, Richard says she spun off into another band called Diddy – Dirty Money.

During each stop in the Diddy universe, Richard says she was exposed to harmful behavior. While filming the TV show, she says Combs “deprived Ms. Richard and her Danity Kane bandmates of basic needs like adequate food and sleep.” As a member of Dirty Money, he says the mogul repeatedly harassed and assaulted her, including groping her during fittings.

Richard also claims to have witnessed illegal behavior toward others, including a 2009 party in Atlanta following the Soul Train Awards, where she says Combs “arranged for dozens of young women and girls — some of whom appeared to be underage — to be transported to the party.”

“Many of them appeared lethargic or unconscious as Mr. Combs and his guests performed sexual acts on them,” Richard’s attorneys wrote. “Ms. Richard felt shocked and horrified as she witnessed Mr. Combs and his guests abusing incapacitated young women.”

She also claims to have seen specific instances of abuse against Combs’ ex-partners. In one of them, she says she witnessed his ex-wife, Kim Porterand left his studio “in tears with visible facial injuries, including a busted lip.” On “numerous” other occasions, Richard says, she witnessed Combs “brutally assault” Ventura.

“His sustained abuse included strangling Ms. Ventura, striking her with his hands and objects, slapping her, hitting her, and throwing objects at her, including a red-hot pan,” Richards’ attorneys wrote.

Ventura sued Combs in November on similar allegations, but the two reached a settlement several days later, ending the lawsuit.

In technical terms, Richard accuses Combs of a range of specific acts of misconduct, including violating New York City’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Act and California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, as well as various state and federal workplace protections against sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation. She also accuses him of sexual assault, sexual battery, false imprisonment and intentional emotional distress. The lawsuit also raises intellectual property claims, including that Diddy infringed on the copyrights of her music.

A spokesperson for Combs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.