Hip-hop mogul Diddy has vehemently denied the allegations that he and two other men sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl in a New York studio in 2003.
In a response, the rapper has also called the lawsuit filed against him “unconstitutional” and asked for its dismissal.
Diddy, real name Sean Combs, was sued in December by a woman who claimed that he and two associates, Anthony Jones and James Sabatino, raped her in a bathroom after giving her alcohol and drugs. The woman, who remains anonymous, said she was working as an intern at the studio when the incident occurred.
According to Dailymail, Diddy filed his first official response to the lawsuit on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, in the Southern District of New York.
He denied any involvement in or knowledge of the alleged assault. He also said that the lawsuit was “barred by the applicable statute of limitations” and that it violated his constitutional rights.
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His lawyers argued that the 20-year delay between the alleged assault and the lawsuit had “prejudiced” Diddy’s ability to defend himself. They said that the plaintiff had failed to provide any credible evidence to support her claims and that she had “fabricated” the allegations to “extort” money from Diddy.
They also said that the lawsuit was “an abuse of the judicial process” and that it was “motivated by malice, ill will, and bad faith.” They asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice and award Diddy costs and attorney fees.
Diddy is one of the most successful and influential figures in the music industry. He is the founder of Bad Boy Records, which has produced artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and Mase. He is also a rapper, singer, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards.
The lawsuit is not the first legal trouble for Diddy. He has faced several lawsuits and criminal charges in the past, including a 1999 shooting incident at a New York nightclub, a 2005 assault case involving a record executive, and a 2014 kettlebell incident at UCLA, where his son was a football player.