Diddy accused of rape and sex trafficking

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the rap mogul and entrepreneur, has been accused of rape and sex trafficking by several women, including his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

The allegations surfaced on Tuesday, when a lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Jane Doe, a woman who claims that Diddy sexually assaulted her in 2010 after drugging her at a party.

The lawsuit also alleges that Diddy and his associates, including his manager James Cruz and his bodyguard Alberto Varona, operated a sex trafficking ring that exploited young women for their sexual and financial benefit.

According to the lawsuit, Diddy and his co-defendants would lure women to various locations, such as hotels, yachts, and private jets, where they would be forced to engage in sexual acts with Diddy and other men, sometimes in exchange for money or gifts.

The lawsuit also names Cassie Ventura, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend of 11 years, as a co-defendant. The lawsuit claims that Cassie was aware of Diddy’s sex trafficking scheme and participated in it by recruiting and grooming other women for Diddy’s sexual pleasure. Cassie, who is now married to personal trainer Alex Fine, has not publicly commented on the allegations.

Diddy, who has an estimated net worth of $885 million, has denied the allegations and called them “sickening” in a statement released by his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman. Brafman said that the lawsuit is “a desperate attempt to extort money from a famous and successful businessman” and that Diddy intends to “vigorously defend himself against these false and outrageous claims”.

Diddy’s legal troubles come as he returned to social media after a long hiatus. On Monday, he posted a heartfelt tribute to his late ex-girlfriend Kim Porter, who died of pneumonia in 2018. He shared a video of Porter dancing and smiling, and wrote: “Happy Birthday Kim. We love you and we miss you. #KimPorterDay”. The post received over 2 million likes and thousands of comments from fans and celebrities, including Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Naomi Campbell.

However, Diddy’s social media comeback also sparked a backlash from some people who accused him of being abusive and manipulative towards Porter and other women in his life. Some people used the hashtag #SurvivingDiddy to share their stories and opinions about Diddy’s alleged mistreatment of women. The hashtag is a reference to the documentary series Surviving R. Kelly, which exposed the singer’s history of sexual abuse and exploitation of women and girls.

Diddy has not responded to the social media criticism or the #SurvivingDiddy hashtag. He has not posted anything on his Instagram or Twitter accounts since Monday. It is unclear how the rape and sex trafficking allegations will affect his career and reputation in the music industry and beyond.

Meanwhile, Diddy has reached a settlement with the spirits giant Diageo. He will no longer be a joint owner of the tequila brand DeLeón or have any ties to Cîroc vodka.