Dawn Richard’s lawsuit adds to growing claims against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

NEW YORK (AP) — A singer who achieved success in bands put collectively by Sean “Diddy” Combs has sued the music producer, describing years of psychological and bodily abuse, together with groping, that she says she suffered as he helped launch her profession.

Together with her lawsuit filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court docket, Daybreak Richard added her voice to these now saying the music mogul subjected the individuals round him to an explosive mood, violent threats, and sexually charged and drug-fueled environments as they tried to comply with his orders.

Richard, who grew to become extra broadly identified after showing on the MTV actuality present “Making the Band,” is suing for unspecified damages in addition to thousands and thousands of {dollars} in earnings that she says she was denied. She argues that damages, together with punitive, are warranted as a result of she suffered financial hurt, bodily damage, ache and struggling, and critical psychological and emotional misery.

Combs’ representatives stated in an announcement that Combs was “shocked and upset” by the lawsuit. They stated Richard was making “an try and rewrite historical past” by manufacturing “a collection of false claims all within the hopes of attempting to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide along with her album launch and press tour.”

They added that if her expertise was so adverse, Richard wouldn’t have continued working instantly with Combs for thus lengthy, together with returning in 2020 for a “Making the Band” reboot and agreeing to be featured on “The Love Album” final 12 months.

“It’s unlucky that Ms. Richard has forged their 20-year friendship apart to attempt to get cash from him, however Mr. Combs is confidently standing on fact and appears ahead to proving that in court docket,” they stated.

In response to the lawsuit, Richard witnessed Combs repeatedly abuse his girlfriend and endured threats that prompted her to worry for her life as Richard labored on songs, typically with no meals or sleep for a day or two at a time, whereas changing into identified in music circles as a member of the woman group Danity Kane and later as a member of Combs’ band Diddy — Soiled Cash.

She says within the lawsuit that Combs recurrently exploded in rage, hurling mobile telephones, laptops, meals and studio gear throughout the room or at individuals. At different occasions, the lawsuit says, Richard witnessed him choking and strangling his protege and longtime girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. The occasions occurred from 2004 by way of 2011, based on the go well with.

In Might, CNN aired 2016 lodge safety video that confirmed Combs punching, kicking and dragging the R& B singer Cassie. The incident carefully matched an outline in a lawsuit that Cassie, whose authorized title is Casandra Ventura, filed in November and that was settled the next day however drew intense scrutiny towards Combs, together with a federal legal investigation.

A number of days after the video’s airing, Combs posted an apology video on social media saying he was “actually sorry” and that his actions had been “inexcusable.”

In her lawsuit, Richard says she “now provides her voice to the rising refrain of victims bravely sharing their harrowing tales. Collectively, they search justice and stand in solidarity, as the newest victims of the #MeToo motion within the music business.”

In court docket papers, she accuses Combs of asking: “You need to die at this time?” And he or she alleges that he bragged that “I finish individuals” as he withheld her earnings, stole her copyrighted works and subjected her to groping, assault and false imprisonment by locking her in a automobile for hours at one level.

Richard says within the lawsuit that between 2009 and 2011 whereas she did recordings, rehearsals and performances, Combs repeatedly demanded that she strip right down to her underwear and made demeaning remarks about her physique, generally calling her “lazy, fats, ugly and thin,” even in entrance of his mates, producers and bodyguards.

On quite a few events, the lawsuit says, Combs would enter Richard’s altering room whereas she was undressed and grope her naked buttocks and chest space close to her breasts. Throughout an October 2010 journey to carry out in Glasgow, Scotland, Combs made overt sexual advances in direction of Richard, it contends.

She included these round Combs and music corporations which supported him as defendants, alleging that Combs carried out a lot of his abuse in public settings and with report firm workers round that they could possibly be discovered liable.

The Related Press doesn’t sometimes title individuals who say they’ve been sexually abused until they arrive ahead publicly as Richard and Cassie have executed.