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Singer and actress Cassie has filed a lawsuit against ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs, accusing him of sex trafficking and sexual assault, according to court documents.
Cassie, born Casandra Ventura, alleges in the filing that she was trafficked, raped and viciously beaten by Combs during the course of their relationship.
“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,” Ventura said in a statement. “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.”
Combs’ attorney, Ben Brafman, issued a statement on his client’s behalf, saying the rapper “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.”
“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,” Brafman’s statement said. “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’ reputation and seeking a payday.”
After signing her to his label, Bad Boy Records, she alleges that Combs “lured [her] into an ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle, and into a romantic relationship with him — her boss, one of the most powerful men in the entertainment industry, and a vicious, cruel, and controlling man nearly two decades her senior.”
Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement, “No human should have to endure what Ms. Ventura has endured. Her ability and willingness to speak up against the abuse she suffered, and seeking to hold accountable her abuser and those who enabled the abuse, is a testament to her strength and resilience. We are honored to represent this brave victim in her pursuit of justice.”
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