By Mark Gray
4:00am PST, Nov 19, 2023
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Singer Cassie Ventura has filed a bombshell lawsuit accusing Sean "Diddy" Combs of rape and abuse.
In the filing — which made headlines on Nov. 17 — Cassie, who dated the rapper and music mogul off and on from 2005 to 2018, claimed she was "held down by Mr. Combs and endured over a decade of his violent behavior and disturbed demands."
"For Ms. Ventura, the 'dark times' were those she spent trapped by Mr. Combs in a cycle of abuse, violence and sex trafficking," the suit continued.
Cassie, who claimed that the music star "frequently" and "savagely" beat her, also alleged that Diddy forced her to carry firearms in her purse and forced her to engage in drug-fueled sex acts with male prostitutes while he watched and recorded her.
The singer — who's now a mother of two with husband Alex Fine, a fitness trainer — shared a statement about why she's gone public with her claims: "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," she said. "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."
Diddy denied the allegations through his attorney.
After Cassie filed her lawsuit, several celebrities weighed in on the situation. Click through to see what's being said…
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After the lawsuit made headlines on Nov. 16, Diddy's lawyer, Ben Brafman, issued a statement.
"Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations," the statement read. "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. 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."
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Aubrey O'Day has for years claimed that Diddy follows shady practices and isn't above making unwanted sexual advances. Aubrey, of course, worked with the rapper and music mogul for years as a member of the group Danity Kane.
"Been trynna tell y'all for years. Prayers up for this queen @cassie," Aubrey wrote on her Instagram Story. Aubrey also told Page Six she's "in complete support" of Cassie in the wake of her legal filing.
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50 Cent posted a selfie to Instagram while referencing the lawsuit and one of Diddy's many monikers: "Damn brother love, brother love, brother love, you out here looking CRAZY AS A MF. LMAO," Fiddy wrote.
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Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard wrote on X, "Praying for Cassie and her family, for peace and healing. You are beautiful and brave."
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In her lawsuit, Cassie Ventura opened up about dating Kid Cudi while on a break from Diddy. She alleged that Diddy was so angry about the new relationship, he threatened to "blow up" the younger music star's car. Diddy, Cassie alleged, "wanted to ensure that Kid Cudi was home with his friends when it happened." Shortly after, the "Day 'n' Nite" artist's car "exploded in his driveway."
Through a spokesperson, Kid Cudi confirmed Cassie's account of their shared history: "This is all true," he told The New York Times.
