Diddy defended by lawyer after reaching settlement with ex Cassie on rape ... trends now
Sean 'Diddy' Combs was defended by his lawyer Benjamin Brafman after settling a federal lawsuit brought by his ex-girlfriend Cassie.
Cassie sued on Thursday, alleging she was trafficked, raped, plied with drugs and viciously beaten by Diddy on many occasions over the course of 10 years.
However by Friday evening, Diddy and Cassie — aka Casandra Ventura — both announced they had reached an agreement. No specific details on the terms of the settlement were revealed.
'Just so we’re clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,' Diddy's lawyer said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
'Mr. Combs‘ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims,' Brafman continued. 'He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.'
Resolution: Sean ' Diddy ' Combs was defended by his lawyer Benjamin Brafman after settling a federal lawsuit brought by his ex-girlfriend Cassie
'Just so we’re clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,' said Brafman, pictured in 2018 while representing Harvey Weinstein
'I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,' Cassie said in her own statement. 'I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.'
Meanwhile, Combs announced: 'We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.'
On Thursday, Diddy was accused of rape and repeated physical abuse by Cassie, who alleged that he controlled and abused her for over a decade - as well as plying her with drugs, beating her, and forcing her to have sex with multiple male prostitutes while he watched and recorded.
The pair, who met in 2005 when she was aged 19, split in 2018. The lawsuit claimed that just before the end of their relationship, he forced his way into her home and raped her.
Diddy, 54, vehemently denied all of the 'offensive and outrageous allegations.'
Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, said in a legal document that was filed in Manhattan's Federal District Court on Thursday: '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.'
Her lawyer Douglas Wigdor claimed Diddy offered her 'eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit' but that she declined to 'give a voice to all woman who suffer in silence'.
On Friday night Wigdor added: '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.'
The pair, who met in 2005 when she was 19, split in 2018. The lawsuit claims that just before the end of her relationship, Combs forced his way into her home and raped her
Among the serious allegations is that Combs sex trafficked Cassie, 37, to male prostitutes to fulfil his voyeurism fantasies in hotels and at his home
Among the serious allegations were that Diddy sex trafficked Cassie, 37, to male prostitutes to fulfil his voyeurism fantasies in hotels and at his home.
The lawsuit claimed she was directed to have sex with multiple men - sometimes in masks and costumes - while the music exec watched, masturbated, and filmed.
Cassie, in the documents, called the ordeals 'horrific encounters' and said she had to take drugs to disassociate during the arrangements which Diddy allegedly called 'freak offs'.
The lawsuit stated that the music executive, who she first met as a teenager, told her it would 'turn him on' if he saw her with 'another d***'.
He allegedly hired a man and brought him to his home in Los Angeles to engage in the sex acts with Cassie.
'Mr. Combs directed Ms. Ventura to perform sexual acts with this man while Mr. Combs watched them,' the lawsuit states.
'He masturbated while he directed Ms. Ventura and the man to do specific sexual acts. The entire encounter lasted multiple days.'
She claimed Diddy got drunk during a 'freak off' around March 2016 and punched her in the face, leaving her with a black eye.
Cassie said she tried to leave the hotel room when he fell asleep but he woke up and began screaming at her.
He allegedly grabbed at her, took the glass vases in the hallway and threw them at her 'causing glass to crash around them as she ran to the elevator to escape'.
She managed to escape to her apartment but claimed she returned over fears he would be even angrier.
'When she returned, hotel security staff urged her to get back into a cab and go to her apartment, suggesting that they had seen the security footage showing Mr. Combs beating Ms. Ventura and throwing glass at her in the hotel hallway,' the lawsuit states.
Cassie claimed that throughout their relationship Diddy 'was prone to uncontrollable rage' and frequently beat her.'
The rapper, who goes by P Diddy, allegedly controlled and abused Cassie for over a decade - as well as plying her with drugs, beating her, and forcing her to have sex with multiple male prostitutes on video
She alleged that Diddy paid the hotel staff $50,000 for the hallway security footage from that evening.
On another occasion in 2013, Diddy allegedly set up a 'freak off' and was charged tens of thousands of dollars in damages by the hotel.
Cassie was expected to facilitate the location and hiring of male sex workers for the 'freak offs', according to the lawsuit.
She was allegedly instructed to use websites and escort services to find men with 'large black penises'.
It alleged that Diddy would insist on the encounters weekly and that he repeatedly told her it was 'our thing' and 'our secret'.
Cassie claimed the 'freak offs' would often take place in hotel suites including the Trump International Hotel in Columbus Circle, L'Ermitage Beverly Hills, The London Hotel in Los Angeles and InterContinental Hotels across the country.
His assistants would allegedly help set up the 'freak offs' by providing baby oil and lubricant.
The lawsuit states: 'Mr. Combs always supplied Ms. Ventura (and the sex worker) with copious amounts of drugs before and during the FOs.
'Ms. Ventura was given ecstasy, cocaine, GHB, ketamine, marijuana, and alcohol in excessive amounts during FOs, which allowed her to disassociate during these horrific encounters.
The lawsuit claims she was directed to have sex with multiple men - sometimes in masks and costumes - while the music exec watched, masturbated, and filmed
Cassie, in the documents, called the ordeals 'horrific encounters' and said she had to take drugs to disassociate during the arrangements which Diddy allegedly called 'freak offs'
She claimed that she tried to escape him multiple times but would be found by Diddy's 'vast network of corporations and affiliated entities' who told her to return to him
The lawsuit states that the music executive, who she first met as a teenager, told her it would 'turn him on' if he saw her with 'another d***'.
'It became common place to get IV fluids in the days after an FO to recover from the excessive substances pushed upon her.'
Cassie was allegedly required to dress up in lingerie for the sex encounters and wear white nail polish to contrast with the skin of the black male sex workers.
She claimed Diddy would ask her to pour excessive amounts of oil over herself before he instructed her and the sex workers what to do.
'Mr. Combs would say things like, 'grab that big black d***' and ask her 'how does it feel?' as he directed her to perform for him,' the lawsuit states.
Diddy allegedly used his phone, laptop and tablet to film the 'freak offs' and treated it like a 'personal art project', adjusting the lighting.
Cassie said she deleted photographs and videos of the sex acts if they were taken on her phone but claimed Diddy told her he kept many.
The lawsuit also claims that he asked Cassie to carry his gun in her purse on at least two occasions.
Diddy allegedly plied her with ecstasy and ketamine, and often beat her up. She never told authorities because it 'would merely give Mr. Combs another excuse to hurt her.'
Cassie alleged that Diddy blew up Kid Cudi's car around February 2012 after he found out they were in a relationship together.
She claimed he went through her phone and found emails between her and the American rapper and became enraged.
He allegedly hired a man and brought him to his home in Los Angeles to engage in the sex acts with Cassie
