Less than a week after Sean “Diddy” Combs settled a lawsuit alleging rape against former Bad Boy star Cassie, he is now the target of more accusations of sexual assault.
Joi Dickerson-Neal claimed that Combs “drugged, sexually assaulted and abused” her and that she was the victim of “revenge porn” that the rapper produced and disseminated in a case that was filed on Thursday in the New York Supreme Court and acquired by Variety. The lawsuit was brought under the Adult Survivors Act, which gave claimed victims of sexual assault a year to pursue civil lawsuits for violations beyond the usual statute of limitations. Combs’ firms, Bad Boy Entertainment and Combs Enterprises, are also named as defendants in the lawsuit. The last day to submit a complaint under the legislation was Thursday.
According to the lawsuit, Dickerson-Neal and Combs met while she was a student at Syracuse University in 1991, and she agreed to attend a dinner with him after appearing in one of his music videos. The suit then alleges that during the dinner, Combs “intentionally drugged” Dickerson-Neal, sexually assaulted her, videotaped it and shared the tape with others. Dickerson-Neal is suing Combs for “substantial and lifelong injuries” she says resulted from the alleged assault, including “severe depression and suicidal ideation.” Dickerson-Neal is demanding a trial by jury and compensation for alleged “mental and emotional injury, anguish, pain and suffering, and damage to her reputation,” according to the complaint.
Representatives for Combs and his companies did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment. However, in a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for Combs called the allegations “fabricated and not credible,” adding that the lawsuit is “nothing more than a money grab.”
“This last-minute lawsuit is an example of how a well-intentioned law can be turned on its head,” the spokesperson told CNN. “Mr. Combs never assaulted her, and she is implicating companies that do not exist.”
The new lawsuit follows one filed last week by Casandra Ventura, aka Cassie, in which she alleged that Combs raped and beat her over the course of a decade. Combs has denied the allegations. Just one day after the lawsuit was filed, Ventura and Combs reached a settlement.
“I have decided to settle this matter amicably on terms over which I have some control. I want to thank my family, fans and attorneys for their unwavering support,” Ventura said in a statement at the time.
“We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family the best. Love,” Combs added.
In a subsequent statement, Combs’ attorney Ben Brafman said, “Just to be clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing. Mr. Combs’ decision to settle in no way undermines his complete denial of the claims. He is pleased to have reached an amicable settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.
