Sean "Diddy" Combs, the renowned music producer and entrepreneur, finds himself at the center of yet another legal storm as former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard has filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of sexual abuse, manipulation, and brutality. This marks the sixth lawsuit against Diddy, adding to the mounting allegations that have surfaced in recent years.
Richard, who was a member of Danity Kane, a girl group formed under Diddy's Bad Boy Records, alleges that she endured years of abuse and manipulation while under his influence. The accusations are rooted in her time on Diddy's 2004 MTV show Making The Band, where she first encountered the music mogul. According to the lawsuit, Diddy used his position of power to control and exploit Richard, promising career advancement in exchange for compliance with his disturbing demands.
Diddy's legal team, led by attorney Erica Wolff, has vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing the lawsuit as a "revisionist publicity stunt." In a statement provided to TMZ, Wolff expressed Diddy's shock and disappointment over the claims, suggesting that the lawsuit is conveniently timed to coincide with Richard's album release and press tour. "If Ms. Richard had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs for Dirty Money, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album last year," Wolff stated.
The lawsuit paints a troubling picture of Diddy's alleged behavior during the height of his career. Richard claims that during the Making The Band auditions, Diddy would routinely insult female contestants, using derogatory terms such as "fat," "ugly," and "hoes." She alleges that his behavior towards her was particularly harsh, as she was young and eager to impress him.
The allegations extend beyond verbal abuse. Richard recalls an incident in 2005 when she witnessed Diddy's then-girlfriend, Kim Porter, leaving a recording studio in tears, her face bruised. This incident, according to Richard, instilled fear in her, leading her to worry about her own safety in Diddy's presence. The lawsuit also describes an encounter in 2006 when Richard was present as Diddy met Cassie for the first time. Richard alleges that Diddy's behavior was predatory, claiming that he fixated on Cassie, making her uncomfortable.
The most disturbing allegations in the lawsuit involve physical violence. Richard claims that in 2009, she witnessed Diddy violently attacking Cassie in his Los Angeles home. According to the lawsuit, Diddy, under the influence of drugs, threw Cassie against a wall, choked her, and dragged her up the stairs. Richard also alleges that between 2009 and 2011, Diddy's behavior towards her escalated. She recounts an incident where Diddy allegedly barged into her dressing room while she was naked and inappropriately touched her. In another harrowing account, Richard claims that Diddy locked her inside a car with tinted windows for hours while she screamed for help, even calling her father.
Despite these allegations, Richard continued to work with Diddy after Danity Kane disbanded. She joined the music trio Diddy - Dirty Money, alongside Kalenna Harper and Diddy himself. The group achieved success with their only studio album, Last Train to Paris, which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, and won the BET Award for Best Group in 2011 before disbanding the following year.
Diddy's legal team remains steadfast in their defense, expressing confidence that the truth will prevail in court. "It's unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him," Wolff stated. "But Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court."