Diddy’s legal team fires back, slamming Dawn Richard’s lawsuit as ‘false’ with ulterior motives.
On Wednesday (September 11), TMZ reported that the embattled music mogul was hit with yet another lawsuit—this time from former Danity Kane member, Dawn Richard, accusing him of brutality and sexual abuse.
“Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit,” Diddy’s lawyer Erica Wolff said in a statement, AllHipHop reports. “In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a payday — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour.”
She added: “If Ms. Richard had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs for Dirty Money, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album last year. It’s unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court.”
In the new lawsuit, Dawn Richard accuses Diddy of being physically and sexually abusive throughout her time working for him.
Richard claims she first noticed Diddy’s troubling behavior during auditions for his 2004 reality show “Making The Band.” According to her, he referred to the women as “fat,” “ugly,” “b*ches,” and “h*es.” She also alleges that Diddy forced her to rehearse for up to 48 hours straight, often without sleep. On one occasion, she claims Diddy “demanded she come to his Miami home,” and when she arrived, he was allegedly not wearing underwear. “This is my f*king house!” he reportedly yelled.
Richard further claims to have witnessed Diddy attempting to strangle his ex-girlfriend, Cassie. When she tried to intervene, Diddy allegedly shouted, “Y’all b*tches don’t get in my relationship,” adding, “Don’t tell my b*tch [Cassie] what she need to be doing … Just make money and shut the f*ck up … I end artists … I shelve careers … You could be missing … You b*tches want to die today.”
Richard claims Diddy’s behavior worsened between 2009 and 2011. She alleges he once barged into her dressing room while she was naked at his recording studio, inappropriately touching her breasts and butt.
In another incident, Richard says Diddy locked her in a car with heavily tinted windows for two hours as she screamed for help, even calling her father. Her dad reportedly drove from Baltimore to New York to free her and confront Diddy. When he threatened to report the incident to the police, Diddy allegedly warned him, “Think about your daughter” and “think about your daughter’s career.