Yahoo News Diddy and Cassie have settled abuse lawsuit one day after filing
Rapper and record label founder, Diddy (real name Sean Combs), and Cassie Ventura (a singer best known for hits such as Me & U and Long Way 2 Go) have reached a settlement agreement one day after Ventura filed a lawsuit against Combs accusing him of rape, physical abuse and sex trafficking.
Yesterday (17 November 2023) Combs and Ventura announced they had resolved the claims in the lawsuit and agreed no further details about the agreement will be released to the public.
Ventura issued a statement thanking her family and legal team for their support, saying: "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."
Her lawyer, Douglas Wigdor said: "I am very proud of Ms. Ventura for having the strength to go public with her lawsuit. She ought to be commended for doing so.”
Combs also issued a statement where he said: "We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.”
In response to the suit being settled out of court, the lawyer for Mr. Combs, Ben Brafman, told Cosmopolitan UK: "Just so we’re clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing. Mr. Combs‘ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best."
In the lawsuit Ventura was seeking an undisclosed sum of money in the form of compensatory damages, as well as for loss of earnings and "severe emotional distress".
In response to Ventura's allegations, Combs had strongly denied all accusations of wrongdoing and labelled them as "offensive and outrageous", via his legal team.
Combs' lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said the alleged demand "was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail".
"For the past six months, Mr Combs has been subjected to Ms Venturas persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail," he told press following the allegations. "Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr Combs's reputation and seeking a payday."
As part of the lawsuit, Ventura claims that she was subjected to controlling behaviour and physical assaults from Combs throughout the course of their relationship – which began when she was 19 and he was 37, and lasted for more than a decade. The pair met in 2005 and split in 2018.
Her lawyer also claims Combs offered her "eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit" but that Ventura rejected the offer and "decided to give a voice to all woman who suffer in silence."
"After years in silence and darkness, 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 violence and abuse in their relationships," Ventura said in a statement released earlier this week (16 November 2023).
"With the expiration of New York's Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life."
The lawsuit labels Combs as "serial domestic abuser, who would regularly beat and kick Ms Ventura, leaving black eyes, bruises, and blood" and accuses him of forcing Ventura to take drugs, kickstarting a series of addiction issues for her, and have sex with male sex workers.
Ventura claims Combs would film the encounters and masturbate to them whilst they were happening, something she says has left her with deep trauma.
She also alleges Combs broke into her home following their spilt and raped her.
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