By Jonathan Stempel
New York: Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing seven new sexual abuse lawsuits, some of which claim unidentified celebrities also assaulted Combs’ accusers.
The civil lawsuits by four men and three women cover alleged misconduct in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas dating to 2000 but mainly in 2022, the accusers’ lawyer Tony Buzbee said on Facebook.
“We expect to be filing cases weekly naming Mr Combs and others as defendants as we continue to gather evidence and prepare the filings,” he said.
Diddy at one of his infamous white parties, in 2007.Credit: Getty Images
Combs’ lawyers have asked the judge overseeing the music mogul’s criminal sex-trafficking case for a gag order against accusers and their lawyers, arguing that a “fresh wave of publicity” is endangering his right to a fair criminal trial.
Combs, 54, faces at least two dozen civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct, including 13 from Buzbee’s firm.
Combs has denied wrongdoing. The Bad Boy record label founder has also pleaded not guilty in a criminal case, and is detained in a Brooklyn jail. He faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He is due to face trial on May 5.
Prosecutors allege Combs coerced victims into participating in sex acts against their will, bribed and intimidated them into keeping quiet, and employed his staff to hide it all.
All seven plaintiffs in the new civil lawsuits are anonymous. Five sued in federal court and two in a New York state court.
In one new lawsuit, the plaintiff said she was 13 when Combs drugged and assaulted her at an after-party for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards in New York.
She said Combs and an unnamed male celebrity raped her while an unnamed female celebrity looked on, after Combs proclaimed “You are ready to party!”
Another accuser said he was a 17-year-old aspiring artist making small talk with Combs at a 2022 party in a Manhattan hotel penthouse and Combs assured him that “he could make him a star.”
Doe said Combs drugged him with a drink and later assaulted him, including by grabbing his genitals, in a room where others engaged in group sex.
In response to the lawsuits, Combs’ lawyers referred to a statement addressing Buzbee’s earlier lawsuits.
“In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone - adult or minor, man or woman,” they said.
Buzbee’s firm said it represents more than 150 of Combs’ accusers. The gag order request from Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ primary lawyer, seeks to block potential government witnesses and their lawyers from making statements that substantially interfere with Combs’ right to a fair trial.
Agnifilo objected to numerous statements “aimed at assassinating Mr Combs’ character in the press,” including what he says are false allegations of sexual abuse of children.
He asked the judge to order the witnesses and lawyers to take down online statements under their control. District Judge Arun Subramanian has given prosecutors until October 30 to respond to questions.
Reuters, AP