Diddy’s Downfall: A Timeline Of Heinous Accusations And Actions Against Sean Combs

November 2023: Cassie Ventura Lawsuit

On Nov. 16, 2023, Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against Sean Combs, accusing him of repeated physical abuse for over a decade, sex trafficking, sexual battery, sexual assault, and violations of New York City’s gender-motivated violence law. The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan Federal District Court under New York State’s Adult Survivors Act, which allows victims to file civil suits against their alleged abusers after the statute of limitations has expired. The one-year window to bring cases to court expired later that month.

Ventura, who met Combs when he was 37 years old in 2005 at the age of 19, claims he immediately began a “pattern of control and abuse,” alleging he manipulated her with drugs like ecstasy and ketamine, assaulted her, and forced her to sleep with several male prostitutes as he watched, masturbated, and recorded the encounters.

“He signed her to his label, Bad Boy Records, and within a few years, lured Ms. Ventura 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,” detailed the filing.

“Mr. Combs asserted complete control over Ms. Ventura’s personal and professional life, thereby ensuring her inability to escape his hold. He provided unprecedented avenues for success for the aspiring artist, but in return, demanded obedience, loyalty, and silence.

The lawsuit was settled on Nov. 18, 2023, for an undisclosed amount.

“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support,” said Ventura in a statement at the time.

November 2023: Joi Dickerson-Neal

Shortly after Cassie Ventura‘s groundbreaking lawsuit, additional women took legal action against Sean Combs. In November 2023, VIBE reported he was served with two additional lawsuits accusing him of similar behavior. On the Thanksgiving holiday of last year, Joi Dickerson-Neal claimed Combs drugged and assaulted her while she attended Syracuse University in 1991. Dickerson-Neal alleges that during a dinner date, Combs slipped a drug into her drink while she went to the bathroom, and pressured her to smoke a “blunt” as they left the restaurant.

Her story continues to detail allegations that Combs sexually assaulted her, recorded it, and showed the footage to multiple people.

“This last-minute lawsuit is an example of how a well-intentioned law can be turned on its head,” detailed a statement from a spokesperson at the time. “Ms. Dickerson’s 32-year-old story is made up and not credible. Mr. Combs never assaulted her, and she implicates companies that did not exist. This is purely a money grab and nothing more.”

In April 2024, Combs filed a motion to dismiss the claims made by Dickerson-Neal with his legal team, claiming the allegations “were brought under statutes that did not exist at the time the alleged misconduct occurred” and that they should be “dismissed with prejudice,” targeting the claims of revenge porn and human trafficking.

November 2023: Liza Gardner

The same day Joi Dickerson-Neal made her allegations against Sean Combs public, another traumatic account was revealed. Initially reported as a Jane Doe, Liza Gardner accused Combs and R&B singer Aaron Hall of assaulting both her and a friend in Hall’s New York apartment in 1990 or 1991. According to NBC News, the alleged attack happened following an event at the offices of MCA Records.

According to Gardner’s story, she and her unnamed friend, who is not named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, met Combs and Hall at a label event. The suit details that the two men were “very flirtatious and handsy with Liza Gardner and her friend,” and requested their presence at an afterparty.

“While at Hall’s apartment, Liza Gardner was offered more drinks and was coerced into having sex with Combs,” the suit recounts. “After Combs finished doing his business, Liza Gardner laid in bed, shocked and traumatized.” The filing continues to detail, Hall allegedly “barged into the room, pinned her down, and forced Liza Gardner to have sex with him,” as she attempted to get dressed. The lawsuit claims the unnamed friend was also assaulted.

The alleged attack did not stop there. Gardner also claims that following the assault, Combs visited where the girls were staying and became “irate” and allegedly assaulted and choked Gardner until she passed out,” while allegedly looking for the friend because he feared she would tell the “girl he was with at the time.”

“The claims involving alleged misconduct against Mr. Combs from over 30 years ago and filed at the last minute are all completely denied and rejected by him,” explained a statement shared by a Combs’ spokesperson in November 2023. “He recognizes this as a money grab. Because of Mr. Combs’ fame and success, he is an easy target for accusers who will falsify the truth, without conscience or consequence, for financial benefit.”

An updated filing detailed that at the time of the assault, Gardner was 16 years old, too young to legally consume alcohol or consent to sex. The lawsuit names Combs, Hall, MCA Music Entertainment Group, and Geffen Records as defendants. 

In May 2024, Gardner moved to relocate the trial from New York to New Jersey after allegedly obtaining new evidence.

“Plaintiff and this writer have received information from several witnesses: a former employee of UMG subsidiary Uptown Records and a Bad Boy Records executive,” relayed a letter to the judge. “This new information adds context to the Plaintiff’s claims and clarifies the timeline. The first and second witnesses have photos of Plaintiff and Defendant Aaron Hall from the day of the assault, which was taken a few hours before he raped Plaintiff.”

Winter 2023: Business Ties Severed

As the lawsuits continued to pile up against Sean Combs, his businesses were impacted by the allegations. On Nov. 28, 2023, Combs stepped down as Chairman Of REVOLT amid the various sexual assault accusations. Ahead of the decision, journalist Dawn Montgomery has decided not to renew her contract with the network.

“While Mr. Combs has previously had no operational or day-to-day role in the business, this decision helps to ensure that REVOLT remains steadfastly focused on our mission to create meaningful content for the culture and amplify the voices of all Black people throughout this country and the African diaspora,” explained a statement issued by the company at the time. The decision was considered a temporary move.

By December 2023, Combs had reportedly lost 18 partnerships with brands through his Empower Global project, an e-commerce platform that focuses on uplifting Black-owned companies. Some of the brands that have cut ties include Tsuri, Nuudii System, No One Clothiers, Fulaba, and House of Takura. Additionally, a reality show set for Hulu documenting the life of Combs and his family was canceled.

In March 2024, Combs sold his remaining stake in REVOLT TV to an anonymous buyer. After the disturbing footage of Combs physically assaulting Cassie Ventura was released last Friday (May 17), REVOLT issued an official statement.

“Even with his recent separation from REVOLT, it is still our duty to address this matter, and recognize the direct impact it has on our staff, our audience, and the culture we represent,” detailed a memo. “REVOLT stands in solidarity with all who have been a victim of abuse and remains committed to upholding the values and integrity our community expects from us. We vehemently stand against any form of domestic abuse, and will always be a fearless advocate for truth and accountability.”

December 2023: Jane Doe

On Dec. 6, 2023, a woman identified as Jane Doe accused Sean “Diddy” Combs and others of rape in a lawsuit. Her story claims that Combs, former Bad Boy president Harve Pierre, and a third unidentified man gang-raped her at a Manhattan recording studio in 2003 when she was only 17 years old. The allegations claim the victim was trafficked across state lines and given “copious amounts of drugs and alcohol.”

According to the lawsuit, Doe and a friend were out in Detroit when Pierre approached her, eventually taking the teenager on a private jet to New York where she was allegedly drugged, groped, and raped. The horrific recount claims Combs led the Doe to a bathroom where he raped her as she “hung over the sink,” as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Doe continued to allege Pierre then subjected her to “nonconsensual vaginal sex,” and that he finished by “violently forcing her to give him oral sex.”

The victim claims to have been transported back to Michigan, with “very limited recollection” of the return flight. The lawsuit was filed under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Act, which offers a two-year window for civil claims that fall outside the statute of limitations for incidents that happened in the five boroughs. It expires on March 1, 2025.

This accusation resulted in Combs’ first public statement about the flurry of allegations. Taking to social media, Combs wrote the following in all-caps:

“FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I HAVE SAT SILENTLY AND WATCHED PEOPLE TRY TO ASSASSINATE MY CHARACTER, DESTROY MY REPUTATION AND MY LEGACY. SICKENING ACCUSATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AGAINST ME BY INDIVIDUALS LOOKING FOR A QUICK PAYDAY.”

In February 2024, Combs called the lawsuit “fictional” and “unconstitutional.”

“The absence of evidence materially impacts defendant’s ability to defend against essential aspects of plaintiff’s claims. Witness identification, availability, and recollections are likely compromised due to the substantial passage of time since the alleged incident,” expressed his attorney at the time, Shawn Holley.

In March 2024, Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke agreed that the woman must make her name public in the lawsuit, claiming she failed to properly convince the courts that she should remain anonymous throughout the case. 

“While the court does not take plaintiff’s concerns lightly, the Court cannot rely on generalized, uncorroborated claims that disclosure would harm plaintiff to justify her anonymity,” the judge explained. “Although this case involves highly sensitive allegations and Doe has not publicly revealed her identity, all other factors weigh against Plaintiff’s motion should this case survive Defendants’ dispositive motions.”

In May 2024, Combs filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Jonathan D. Davis, the attorney representing Sean Combs, Daddy’s House Recordings, Inc., and Bad Boy Entertainment Holdings, Inc., filed the request, claiming the lawsuit was a “false and hideous claim.”

February 2024:  Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones

On February 27, 2024, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of illegal activity and assault. The lawsuit names Combs as well as his son Justin Combs, Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge, Combs’ chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, and ex-Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam as defendants in the suit. 

In the lawsuit, Jones claims that he lived and traveled with Combs for work from September 2022 to November 2023 and while on the live-in gig, he allegedly recorded hours of video and audio detailing Combs’s explicit activities. Jones’s allegations include claims that he was repeatedly sexually assaulted and subjected to nonconsensual advances by Diddy’s associates, detailing incidents that Combs groped his genitals and his anus and allegations that Combs would walk around him naked.

Jones alleged that a female cousin of Diddy’s public romantic interest at the time Yung Miami also sexually assaulted him, claiming that the woman attempted to have sex with him in front of Diddy and his staff. Additionally, the City Girls rapper is accused of transporting “pink cocaine,” a combination of ecstasy and cocaine also known as “tusi” and “tuci” for Combs. Although Jones alleged the women included in the lawsuit were minors, the ladies claimed to be over 30 years old. Others mentioned in the lawsuit include Stevie J. and Cuba Gooding Jr.

“[Jones’] reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines,” Combs’ attorney, Shawn Holley detailed in a statement. “We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls… We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”

“Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a payday. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family,” added a representative for Justin Combs.

In April 2024, Jomes launched a GoFundMe campaign to fund his legal quest against Combs. He asked for donations totaling $50,000, and noted that he may need as much as $300K should the case go to trial. Earlier that same month, Habtemariam refuted rumors that she would be testifying in a trial against Combs.

“I am informed and believe that Mr. Blackburn has falsely represented to various social media sites and other media outlets that I agreed to ‘testify against’ Mr. Combs,” Habtemariam said. “This is completely untrue. I have no personal knowledge of any alleged wrongdoing by Mr. Combs, and there is nothing I could testify to that would be against his interest… In short, there is no basis for any of the claims asserted against me, and I should never have been named a defendant in this lawsuit.”

Last Friday (May 17), Grainge, UMG, and Motown Recordings were dismissed with prejudice. Per The Root, a sworn declaration filed in court, Jones’ lawyer Tyrone Blackburn stated the following:

“Based on my examination of all of the papers submitted in support of both motions to dismiss, which addressed the issues I had, I have concluded that there is no legal basis for the claims and allegations that were made against the UMG Defendants. As such, I have determined that the proper course of action is for all of the claims and all of the allegations to be withdrawn immediately.”

March 2024: Federal Raid On Combs’ Properties

On March 25, 2024, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ properties in Miami and Los Angeles were raided by the United States Department of Homeland Security in connection with a sex trafficking investigation. The Los Angeles residence is reportedly registered to Bad Boys Films, a subsidiary of Bad Boy Entertainment, and is also listed under the name of one of Combs’ daughters. 

According to Homeland Security expert, Hal Kempfer, the searched evidence included “laptops, flash drives, and anything that would connect Combs with the allegations.”

In a statement following the federal action, Combs’ Attorney Aaron Dyer expressed, “Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,” he detailed. “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”

Following the raids, Combs’ alleged drug mule Brendan Paul was arrested on cocaine and marijuana possession charges. Local authorities were reportedly working alongside Homeland Security when the arrest was made. Paul was also named in the lawsuit by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones. In April 2024, Paul pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Per The New York Times, Brian H. Bieber, a lawyer representing Paul released a statement last week (May 16) explaining that Paul had accepted prosecutors’s offer to enter a pretrial diversion program, and afterward, prosecutors will dismiss the case. The program involves a substance abuse course and is offered to nonviolent defendants with no criminal record.

If you’re experiencing domestic abuse, are worried about a friend or loved one, or need help, contact the free, 24-hour National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).