Embattled music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs finds himself embroiled in one legal battle after another. As Diddy continues to navigate these legal waters, the outcomes of these lawsuits remain uncertain, and the impact on his career, his net worth, and reputation is yet to be fully realized.
While most of the lawsuits center on sexual abuse allegations, there are some that are work-related.
Raven PMG Lawsuit
A New Orleans design firm with a $100,000 bill after failing to settle material costs for an event that was ultimately postponed.
Raven PMG, a design firm specializing in constructing temporary structures for events, claimed it entered into a contract with Combs to erect a “red translucent cube” for an event. However, complications arose when another company, Phantom Labs, approached Raven to collaborate on the project. Phantom Labs, along with a co-defendant named Mark Lupton, allegedly requested alterations to the design, thereby increasing production costs by an additional $20,000, with assurances that payment would be made promptly, Fox Business reported.
“In November 2023, [Phantom’s] CEO Gabriel Fraboni contacted Raven to apologize for lack of payment and proposed a biweekly payment plan of $18,000.00 to resolve the issue,” the complaint reads. “However, [Phantom] failed to make any payments under the plan, leading Raven to engage attorneys to pursue the debt.”
The lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York alleges that Phantom and Lupton misrepresented their financial backing and business relationship with Combs during negotiations with Raven. Furthermore, Combs is accused of exacerbating the situation by purportedly failing to compensate Phantom, consequently leaving Raven with the financial burden.
Representatives for Combs have yet to address the lawsuit.
Phantom informed Raven to cease production on the structure on Sept. 7, citing the postponement of the music event it was intended for. Details regarding the red cube remain undisclosed due to a confidentiality agreement.
Under the terms of the contract, Raven was entitled to reimbursement for its expenses. However, despite invoicing Phantom for $96,732, Raven allegedly received no payment.
The lawsuit seeks reimbursement for material costs, alongside an additional $200,000 in damages, as well as interest, attorney fees, and other legal expenses.
Combs’ recent legal woes trace back to November when his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape and other forms of abuse. While the suit was settled swiftly, it marked the beginning of a series of legal challenges for Combs, including allegations from several others regarding similar misconduct, CNN reported. Federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations conducted raids on his properties in Los Angeles and Miami Beach in March, although Combs has not faced any criminal charges in connection with these raids.
Ventura v. Combs: Settled
Filed by Ventura, this lawsuit accused Combs and affiliated companies of rape and abuse. Ventura alleged she was a victim of sex trafficking, human trafficking, sexual assault, and battery.
Dickerson-Neal Sues Diddy
Joi Dickerson-Neal filed a lawsuit in November 2023 alleging drugging and sexual assault by Combs in 1991. Dickerson-Neal claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted by Combs, who purportedly filmed the assault and shared it with others. A spokesperson for Combs dismisses the allegations as fabricated and financially motivated.
In April, his legal team filed a motion to dismiss some of the claims from a lawsuit, arguing that some of the claims were brought under laws that didn’t exist and against companies that were not formed at the time of the alleged incident, stated documents obtained by USA Today.
Gardner v. Combs
Liza Gardner filed a lawsuit alleging battery and sexual assault by Combs and Aaron Hall in 1990. Gardner accuses Combs and Hall of sexual assault after being given alcoholic drinks, with Combs allegedly choking her until she lost consciousness. Combs denies the claims, asserting that the allegations are false and aimed at tarnishing his reputation, CNN reported.
At the end of April, UMG Recordings, Inc., co-defendant in the lawsuit filed to prevent Gardner and her lawyer from obtaining an extension to respond to a recent motion to dismiss the case.
In a letter submitted to the New York County Courthouse on April 29, attorney Lisa Linsky, representing UMG Recordings, Inc., opposed the request from Gardner’s attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, for an extension of time past the April 25 deadline to oppose the motion to dismiss the amended complaint, filed on April 11, People reported.
Linsky cited that there was no valid reason for the extension, stating, “While Mr. Blackburn claims his ‘client needs additional time to gather her documents and affidavits from the witnesses,’ there is no colorable ground on which additional documents or ‘affidavits from the witnesses’ could change the fatal defect in the amended complaint — namely, Plaintiff’s age at the time of the alleged conduct.”
Jane Doe v. Combs
An anonymous woman filed a lawsuit accusing Combs and others of sex trafficking and gang rape in 2003. The plaintiff alleges she was trafficked and gang-raped by Combs and others when she was a 17-year-old high school student. Combs has filed to have the lawsuit dismissed.
Lil Rod Files Lawsuit Against Combs
Music producer Rodney Jones, known as Lil Rod, filed a lawsuit alleging racketeering, sexual assault, and sex trafficking by Combs in 2022 and 2023. Jones accuses Combs of sexual assault and failure to compensate him for music producing work.
Combs’ attorney refutes the allegations as false and sensationalist, designed to garner attention.
Defendants’ motions to dismiss are underway, with responses pending.
The Nanny Lawsuit: Dismissed
First reported by The Los Angeles Times as “Jane Roe” in 2022, the nanny, hired in August 2020 and terminated in January 2021, had previously made claims alleging that Diddy discriminated against her due to her pregnancy and the stigma of being an unmarried mother-to-be. On April 10, the woman was identified as Raven Wales-Walden, and her claims of setting a “bad example” for Diddy’s daughters were dismissed with prejudice. This legal action effectively prohibits its re-filing in the future.
