On Friday, Sean “Diddy” Combs and singer Cassie (born Casandra Ventura) reached a settlement. The news comes only a day after she filed a lawsuit alleging rape and multiple instances of physical and sexual abuse against the music mogul.
According to the lawsuit filed by Ventura on Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan, Combs allegedly assaulted her multiple times, throughout their relationship resulting in injuries.
One of the most troubling allegations in the suit asserts that Ventura was compelled to engage in sexual encounters with a series of male prostitutes over the years, while Combs observed, masturbated, and recorded videos. The suit states that Mr. Combs referred to these incidents as “freak offs,” and they occurred in various high-end hotels across the United States.
In response to the accusations, Combs’ lawyer, Ben Brafman, said, “Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. For the past 6 months, Mr. Combs, has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail. 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’ reputation and seeking a pay day.”
The parties, without revealing specific details, announced their agreement on Friday evening, per the New York Times.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” said Cassie in a statement. “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.”
“I am very proud of Ms. Ventura for having the strength to go public with her lawsuit,” said Douglas Wigdor, the attorney representing Ventura. “She ought to be commended for doing so.”
Diddy also released a statement sharing that the two decided to resolve that matter “amicably,” and wished Cassie the best.
