By A lawsuit filed by former dancer Adria Sheri English alleges that music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs forced women to have sex with party guests and drugged them at lavish events, her lawyer said Monday.
The civil complaint, filed on July 2, comes as Combs faces federal charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
English’s attorney, Ariel Mitchell-Kidd, told The Associated Press that her client began working as a go-go dancer at Combs’ Hamptons parties in 2004 and 2005. According to the lawsuit, English claims that around the third party, Combs directed her to have sex with guests.
“Mr. Combs directs her to have sex [with one of the guests]. That was the first time she was required to perform sex acts at a party,” Mitchell-Kidd said, describing the allegations in the suit.
The complaint alleges that as parties progressed into early morning hours, sexual activities became more prevalent. English claims she was directed to have sex with multiple individuals and that security guards were stationed near bedrooms.
Mitchell-Kidd said her client felt compelled to comply due to Combs’ power in the industry. “She knew how powerful Mr. Combs was. So, essentially, she just obliged,” the attorney stated.
The lawsuit also alleges that drinks at these parties were laced with drugs. “They began to supply her with alcohol,” Mitchell-Kidd said, “which she later discovered to be laced with drugs because of its effect on her.”
English claims that after a confrontation with Combs at a 2008 Miami party over the alleged forced sex work, she was removed by security. The lawsuit alleges Combs subsequently “blackballed” her from the music industry after she stopped working for him in 2009.
Combs’ lawyer, Jonathan Davis, responded to Fox News regarding the lawsuit: “No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone.”
Davis added, “We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason and without any proof. Fortunately, a fair and impartial judicial process exists to find the truth and Mr. Combs is confident he will prevail against these and other baseless claims in court.”
As of Monday, Combs’ legal team had not yet filed a formal response to English’s lawsuit. The case is expected to proceed as Combs also faces separate federal charges.
English told the AP she anticipates testifying in federal court regarding her allegations against Combs. The lawsuit and criminal charges against the hip-hop mogul have sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, raising questions about power dynamics and alleged misconduct in the music business.
nypost.com
