the law

Diddy Sued for Rape and Battery in 7th Sexual-Assault Lawsuit

Diddy. Photo: Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images

Fresh off the heels of a graphic video of an attack on Cassie Ventura being released to the public, Diddy is facing his seventh sexual-assault lawsuit, his second in this week alone, USA Today reports. Now, a woman is accusing the disgraced mogul of rape and battery over multiple alleged incidents after she met him as a Fashion Institute of Technology student in 1994. April Lampros filed the suit against Diddy, real name Sean Combs, in the New York County Supreme Court on May 23. It names Diddy; his label, Bad Boy Records; and Arista Records as defendants. “Combs promised to mentor her and help her by introducing her to music and fashion industry executives as well as assisting her with finding work,” the lawsuit reads. “She felt that if she disobeyed him, he would take away her dreams of pursuing a career in his world. Mr. Combs would also threaten to blacklist her in the industry if she tried to mess with him in any way.”

The suit details how Diddy allegedly “love-bombed her” and “showered her with gifts and flowers” during their early relationship, before he allegedly became violent, per USA Today. In the filing, Lampros accuses Diddy of raping her in 1995, along with an incident that took place in a car, which she claims a parking attendant witnessed. She also claims Diddy forced her and his girlfriend Kim Porter to take ecstasy and have sex together before he raped her in 1996, allegations that recall earlier claims made by Cassie, Lil Rod, and other accusers. An additional instance of sexual assault allegedly took place at her apartment in 2000 or 2001. The filing includes alleged photos of Diddy, Lampros, and a “friend” at Bad Boy Studios, together with an invite to a Father’s Day gathering and a Valentine’s Day card.

Lampros’s suit comes after a torrent of sexual-assault allegations made against Diddy this year, which began when Cassie filed a complaint against him in December, triggering a reported criminal investigation into the hip-hop mogul.

Diddy Sued for Rape, Battery in 7th Sexual-Assault Lawsuit