Diddy Denies Ex Cassie's Rape & Sex Trafficking Allegations
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00:00 Sean "Diddy" Combs' former partner, Cassie, has accused him of rape and abuse, claims the rapper has denied.
00:05 The "Me & You" singer, whose given name is Cassandra Ventura, filed a complaint in Manhattan federal court on Thursday,
00:11 alleging she was, quote, "trapped by Mr. Combs in a cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking" during their relationship.
00:17 According to the lawsuit, Ventura, quote, "seeks justice for the decade of her life that Mr.
00:22 Combs took away from her with threats of violence, excessive use of drugs, physical and psychological abuse, and sexual slavery."
00:28 The complaint claims that Combs, quote, "abused Ms. Ventura physically and sexually," and, quote,
00:33 "often punched, beat, kicked, and stomped on her over the course of their time together,"
00:37 allegedly resulting in bleeding, black eyes, and other injuries.
00:40 The two met when she was 19 and he was 37, and the complaint claims that Combs, quote, "lured Ms. Ventura into an ostentatious,
00:47 fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle."
00:49 Ventura also claims that Combs forced her to, quote, "engage in sex acts with male sex workers while masturbating and filming the encounters."
00:56 The complaint additionally alleges that when Ventura dated Kid Cudi during one of her and Combs' rough patches,
01:01 Combs told Ventura he was going to blow up the rapper's car, adding that, quote, "around that time, Kid Cudi's car exploded in his driveway."
01:08 A spokesperson for Kid Cudi corroborated Ventura's account, The New York Times.
01:12 The suit also claims Combs once drunkenly, quote, "picked up one of Ms. Ventura's friends like a child and dangled the friend over the balcony of
01:18 the 17th floor hotel suite." According to the lawsuit, when Ventura tried to escape the alleged abuse, quote, "Mr.
01:24 Combs and his powerful network would force her back to him," with some affiliates allegedly saying that if she didn't, it would, quote,
01:30 "hinder her success in the entertainment industry."
01:32 Ventura also claims Combs raped her after she tried to leave him. The complaint alleges when she believed that she had finally separated from her
01:39 longtime abuser, she joined Mr.
01:41 Combs for a dinner, after which he forced her into her home and raped her while she repeatedly said no and tried to push him
01:46 away. In a statement coinciding with the lawsuit, Ventura shared, "After years in silence and darkness,
01:51 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
01:57 violence and abuse in their relationships." With the expiration of New York's Adult Survivors Act fast approaching,
02:02 it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma
02:05 I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life. In a statement to Access Hollywood, Combs' lawyer said,
02:11 "Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. For the past six months,
02:16 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,
02:23 which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail.
02:26 Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies,
02:32 aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs' reputation and seeking a payday."
02:35 Ventura's lawyer responded in a statement, "Mr.
02:38 Combs offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit.
02:42 She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all women who suffer in silence. Ms. Ventura should be applauded for her bravery."
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