Celebrities
Diddy, Cassie agree settlement of sexual assault suit
American hip-hop artist Sean Combs, popularly called Diddy, has agreed to an “amicable” settlement of the sexual assault suit filed against him by his former partner, Cassandra Ventura, also known as Cassie.
In the suit filed in a New York federal court on Thursday, Cassie leveled several allegations of physical and sexual abuse against the entertainment mogul.
The 37-year-old singer alleged that Diddy, 54, had lured her into a relationship and made it difficult for her to reject his passes because she was afraid for her future as an upcoming artist attached to his label.
To fully have his way with her, Cassie said the “I need a girl” crooner sexually abused her and also introduced “her to a drug-fueled lifestyle that kept her complacent and compliant.”
Filed at a New York Court, the suit in part reads, “She found herself becoming numb to the abuse she was experiencing and became entirely beholden to Mr. Combs’s demands. She began to blindly follow his instructions out of fear of again being on the receiving end of a vicious beating.”
However, the music mogul’s lawyer, Ben Brafman, had “vehemently” denied the singer’s claims, stating that Cassie was trying to blackmail his client.
Diddy’s’ legal team, however, pulled a U-turn on Friday and agreed to a settlement with Ventura, just one day after she filed the claim, according to a statement published by Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, on Friday evening.
“We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love,” he wrote.
Cassie also released a statement thanking fans for their outpour of support after the suit became public.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on the condition that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans, and lawyers for their unwavering support,” she also wrote in the release.
