Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sued for Sexual Abuse by Former Bad Boy Records Singer

Dawn Richard, a former Bad Boy Records singer, has filed a lawsuit accusing music mogul and record label founder Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual assault and battery, human trafficking, gender discrimination and fraud, according to court documents.

Richard filed the lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday, also suing former Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Harve Pierre.

Richard filed the lawsuit a day after a Michigan prisoner was awarded $100 million in damages against the rapper. Combs’ attorney said he wanted the damages dropped.

The inmate, Derrick Lee Smith, accused Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a party nearly 30 years ago.

Richard was a member of the girl group Danity Kane and the R&B trio Diddy Dirty Money, which also included Combs and singer Kalenna Harper. The groups were part of Bad Boy Records.

Combs’ attorney, Erica Wolff, said in a statement Tuesday that the rapper is eager to prove Richards’ allegations are false in court.

“Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit. In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now concocted a series of false claims, all in the hopes of collecting a paycheck — conveniently timed to coincide with the release of her album and press tour,” Wolff wrote.

“If Ms. Richard had had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs on Dirty Money, returned for the 2020 reboot of Making the Band, or agreed to appear on The Love Album last year,” she added.

Richard alleges in the lawsuit that during her collaboration with Combs, the rapper repeatedly groped her, was physically abusive and locked her in a car while threatening to kill her.

Richard met Combs during her audition for his MTV series “Making the Band” in 2004, when she said he began behaving inappropriately.

“(Combs) manipulated her with mantras that submission to his perverse demands was necessary for career advancement, leading her to believe that such abuse and exploitation were necessary for female artists to succeed in the music industry,” the lawsuit said.

In the lawsuit, Richard also said she witnessed Combs abusing his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassandra Ventura. Last year, Combs settled a lawsuit filed by Ventura, which accused him of serial physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape.

Combs is one of the most influential producers and executives in hip-hop. He was a highly successful recording artist and impresario of his own Sean John clothing line.

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