Renowned rapper and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs faces fresh legal challenges as a woman, identified as Joi Dickerson-Neal, has filed a lawsuit accusing him of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 1991.
This comes on the heels of a recent settlement in a similar case with R&B singer Cassie Ventura.
Dickerson-Neal, in the legal documents obtained by the BBC, asserts that the incident occurred during a date with the rapper.
She claims to have known Combs through mutual acquaintances and had previously appeared in one of his music videos.
On January 3, 1991, she reluctantly agreed to meet him at a Harlem restaurant where she worked, alleging that she was drugged and rendered physically incapacitated during that encounter.
According to the lawsuit, Combs then transported her to his residence where the alleged sexual assault took place, and she later discovered he had secretly recorded the incident, sharing it with others.
The legal action, brought just before the expiration of the New York Adult Survivors Act on November 24, enables survivors of sexual crimes to sue even after the statute of limitations has passed.
In response to the allegations, a representative for Combs dismissed them as a “made-up” and “not credible” attempt to extort money.
The spokesperson stated, “This is purely a money grab and nothing more,” emphasizing the plaintiff’s story as a fabrication.
Dickerson-Neal’s legal team, including lawyer Jonathan Goldhirsch, emphasized the enduring impact of the alleged harm on their client’s life.
They express that the Adult Survivors Act provides an opportunity for her to seek justice after years of enduring the consequences.
This marks the second sexual assault lawsuit against Combs within the month, with Ventura accusing him of rape and sex trafficking in a federal lawsuit.
The legal dispute ended with a settlement, and Combs continues to deny any wrongdoing, emphasizing that the decision to settle should not be seen as an admission of guilt.