Note: This article contains descriptions of alleged sexual assault.
Less than a week after settling a sexual assault lawsuit brought by Cassie, Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sued by two more women, one of whom alleges rape, the other sex trafficking and revenge porn, among other claims. The separate lawsuits—by Joi Dickerson-Neal and a woman identified as Jane Doe—were both filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act and pertain to alleged incidents in the early 1990s.
Joi Dickerson-Neal accuses Diddy of assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, sex trafficking, gender-motivated violence, and making and disseminating revenge porn. She claims that, while studying psychology at Syracuse University, she agreed to a date with Diddy, with whom she had starred in a music video. She alleges that, during the date, Diddy drugged her, took her to another location, then secretly filmed himself sexually assaulting her. Days later, she claims, a male friend told her that he and several others had seen the footage.
Dickerson-Neal was hospitalized for severe depression and suicide ideation, according to the lawsuit. It adds that she was left with “overwhelming feelings of humiliation, embarrassment, violation, and constant apprehension” about who had seen the video. The lawsuit also names Bad Boy Entertainment and Combs Entertainment LLC as defendants.
In a statement shared with Pitchfork, Dickerson-Neal added: “Truthfully, it has all been said in my lawsuit. I am so thankful for the bravery of the other women that came forward, the Adult Survivors Act which opened up the filing window to seek justice, and the unwavering support from my attorneys. For 32 years, the only people I have been able to confide in were my close friends and therapists. I’m feeling as if the darkness has been lifted and I can freely move forward in achieving my full potential.”
The lawsuit attributed to Jane Doe also names the singer Aaron Hall as a defendant (along with MCA Inc., MCA Music Entertainment Group, Geffen Records, 10 John and Jane Does, and 10 unknown entities summarized as “ABC Corps.”). She alleges that she and a friend were at an MCA event when Diddy and Hall invited them to an afterparty. After arriving at Hall’s apartment, she claims, Diddy coerced her into sex, before Hall “barged into the room, pinned her down,” and raped her. She alleges that, in another room, the two men also forced her friend to have sex with them. Two days later, the lawsuit alleges, Diddy—worried that “the girl he was with at the time” would find out about the alleged incident—came to the home where the two women were staying and choked Doe until she passed out.
When reached by Pitchfork, a spokesperson for Sean “Diddy” Combs stated: “These are fabricated claims falsely alleging misconduct from over 30 years ago and filed at the last minute. This is nothing but a money grab. Because of Mr. Combs’ fame and success, he is an easy target for anonymous accusers who lie without conscience or consequence for financial benefit. The New York Legislature surely did not intend or expect the Adult Survivors Act to be exploited by scammers. The public should be skeptical and not rush to accept these bogus allegations.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741
