Cassie Sues Diddy for Assault and Human Trafficking: A Timeline of Allegations and Legal Actions

On November 16, 2023, singer Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs in the Federal District Court of Manhattan, alleging severe physical abuse and human trafficking during their decade-long relationship. Cassie, who met Diddy in 2005 at the age of 19, signed with his Bad Boy Records the following year, releasing her debut album. Their romantic relationship reportedly began in 2007. Cassie’s court documents detail a relationship marred by control, abuse, and violence.

According to the lawsuit, Diddy introduced Cassie to a lifestyle filled with excessive alcohol and drugs, frequently urging her to ingest various substances. The accusations include incidents of physical violence that resulted in bruises, burst lips, black eyes, and bleeding. Cassie also claims Diddy forced her into unwanted sexual encounters with male sex workers while he watched, and demanded she carry his gun to instill fear.

The lawsuit further describes incidents such as Diddy allegedly blowing up a man’s car after learning of his romantic interest in Cassie, chasing a rival industry executive with a firearm, and physically assaulting Cassie in her own home. Despite these harrowing allegations, the lawsuit was settled amicably just one day after it was filed, on November 17, 2023. Diddy, while agreeing to the settlement, denied any wrongdoing, labeling the claims as a cash grab.

However, the controversy did not end there. On November 23, 2023, another woman filed a lawsuit against Diddy, alleging that he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1991 while she was a student at Syracuse University. This lawsuit claims that Diddy filmed the incident, a disturbing pattern also noted in Cassie’s allegations. The woman, unable to stand or walk after being drugged, was taken to a different location where the assault occurred. A friend of the accuser later reported seeing the film, further compounding the allegations against Diddy.

The following day, a third woman, identified as Jane Doe, filed another sexual assault lawsuit against Diddy. She recounted an incident from the early 1990s where she and a friend met Diddy and musician Aaron Hall at a New York event. They were coerced into drinking heavily and then taken to Hall’s apartment, where both women were allegedly assaulted. Jane Doe described being assaulted by both men and later being threatened and choked by Diddy to prevent her from reporting the incident.

The lawsuits have gained traction partly due to the New York Adult Survivors Act, which allows survivors of sexual abuse to file lawsuits regardless of when the incidents occurred, bypassing the statute of limitations.

Adding to the controversy, Diddy’s former security guard, Roger Bonds, has spoken out, corroborating Cassie’s accounts of abuse and adding that he witnessed Diddy being violent towards other women, including Kim Porter, the mother of Diddy’s children. Bonds described Diddy as a manipulative individual with a “Godlike syndrome,” who frequently resorted to violence and intimidation.

Despite Diddy’s attempts to control the narrative, including an apology after the release of a 2016 video showing him assaulting Cassie, the allegations against him have sparked a wider conversation about power, abuse, and accountability in the entertainment industry. Cassie’s bravery in coming forward has inspired other victims to share their stories, potentially leading to more revelations and legal actions against Diddy. As more details emerge, the public continues to scrutinize Diddy’s actions and the impact of his alleged abuse on his victims.