A woman has filed a lawsuit against hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging he drugged and sexually assaulted her during a date in 1991.
Combs, who also goes by Puff Daddy and P Diddy, has recently settled another sexual assault lawsuit with R&B artist Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, his ex-partner.
A spokesperson for Combs dismissed the new allegations as “made up and not credible”. The spokesperson further described the lawsuit as a ploy for financial gain, as per their statement on Thursday.
Joi Dickerson-Neal, the plaintiff, claims to have known Combs through mutual connections and appeared in one of his music videos.
The lawsuit details that on January 3, 1991, Dickerson-Neal hesitantly met Combs at a Harlem restaurant where she worked. Combs insisted she accompany him around the city.
Dickerson-Neal alleges that Combs drugged her, leaving her unable to stand or walk independently. The lawsuit further claims that Combs took her to his residence and sexually assaulted her.
Dickerson-Neal also contends that Combs secretly recorded the incident and shared it with others.
Post-assault, Dickerson-Neal states her life deteriorated, affecting her mental health and leading to her dropping out of college.
The lawsuit was filed just before the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act, allowing sex crime victims to sue past the statute of limitations.
Jonathan Goldhirsch, representing Dickerson-Neal, emphasized the lasting harm caused by Combs and the opportunity for justice provided by the Adult Survivors Act.
Combs’ representative criticized the lawsuit, calling it a misuse of a law meant for good, and reiterated that Dickerson’s claims are fabricated and not believable.
This lawsuit is the second accusation of sexual assault against Combs this month. In another recent federal lawsuit, Casandra Ventura accused Combs of rape and sex trafficking over a decade, starting when she was 19 and he was 37.
Combs and Ventura reached a settlement shortly after the lawsuit was filed. Combs’ attorney clarified that the settlement with Ventura does not imply any admission of guilt.
