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Sean “Diddy” Combs has been hit with a pair of new sexual assault lawsuits that allege he drugged and sexually assaulted the plaintiffs and/or forced them to engage in sex acts with others during a “group-sex” party at Trump Hotel in midtown Manhattan.
Filed in New York state court on Tuesday (Feb. 4), the lawsuits — the latest to be lodged by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee against the disgraced hip-hop mogul — were filed by Jane Doe plaintiffs who say they were involved in the New York hip-hop scene in the ’80s and ’90s.
The first complaint was filed by a woman who says she was “an active member of New York’s hip-hop industry from the 1980s onward” and “appeared in numerous music videos for varying hip hop artists, was employed as a hip hop dancer for live productions, as well as having roles in major motion pictures.” According to the complaint, she was subject to “sexual assault, coercion, abuse and violence either at the hands of, or direction of Combs” on numerous occasions.
In the first alleged incident, the woman claims she was drugged and “forced to participate in group sexual activity” with Combs and others while attending (and being prevented from leaving) a so-called “shadow party” held at a New York bar sometime in the 1990s.
Later in the decade, while allegedly dating Combs’ security guard, the woman says she attended another of Combs’ parties at the five-story New York nightclub Limelight, where she says “group-sex parties” were occurring on the top two floors. After the party, she claims Combs and the security guard took her and a friend to a penthouse at a Trump hotel in midtown Manhattan, where she says she was “physically and sexually assaulted” by the guard as Combs watched. Later that evening, she claims she and her friend were forced to take “ecstasy or [a] similar ‘party’ drug” and “engage in a group sex activity that [they] did not want to participate in.”
This alleged incident is echoed in the second lawsuit filed on Tuesday by a woman who claims she was “a part of the hip-hop scene that was developing in New York City” in the ’80s and ’90s and “appeared in numerous music videos for various hip-hop artists and participated in other projects within the industry.”
After attending a party also allegedly held at the Limelight — which reads like the same event described by the first plaintiff — the woman claims she and a friend were taken to the Trump Hotel in midtown Manhattan against their will, drugged “and forced to participate in group-sex activity during which she [was] sexually assaulted over the next several hours. For instance, Plaintiff was vaginally raped by a club promoter at Combs’ direction, while Combs observed.”
The woman also outlines a second incident she says occurred after she was hired to serve as a “bottle-service attendant” at a party Combs hosted in the Hamptons in 1997. Shortly after arriving at the event, the woman says she and others hired for the event were encouraged by Combs to drink from coolers and offered marijuana, after which she “began to feel woozy, slipping in and out of consciousness.” At this point, she says she was “sexually assaulted and vaginally raped by Combs’ associates, at Combs’ direction, while Combs was present.” After suspecting the assault was videotaped, she says she reached out to Combs “to request that he delete the video, but Combs refused to comply.”
The woman further alleges she “suffered several incidences of sexual assault at Combs’ hands while traveling to other states, including California,” though only the New York incidents are included in the complaint.
Both women are asking for compensatory and punitive damages from Combs and his various Combs Global businesses, which are named as co-defendants for “enabl[ing]” the alleged abuse.
A representative for Combs and Combs Global did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s request for comment.
Combs is currently awaiting the start of his criminal trial, which is set to commence on May 5, at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He is charged with running a criminal enterprise aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.” Among other accusations, Combs is alleged to have held so-called “freak offs” during which he and others drugged victims and coerced them into having sex. He is also accused of acts of violence and intimidation to silence his alleged victims. Combs faces a potential life prison sentence if convicted on all charges.
Chrissy Teigen is defending Selena Gomez after her tearful video about the Trump administration’s mass deportations led to a response video from the White House. “I love her,” the Cravings author told TMZ of Gomez on Monday night (Feb. 3). “Empathy should never be frowned upon or made fun of, and the fact that the […]
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been hit with yet another lawsuit, this one filed by a man who says the hip-hop mogul drugged and sexually assaulted him at a Los Angeles party in 2015 after luring him with the promise of a record deal.
The new lawsuit was filed Monday (Feb. 3) in New York state court by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, who has already filed a slew of other lawsuits against Combs. In it, a man identified only as John Doe claims that before performing for an audience at a Los Angeles venue called QC’s 20/20 with Combs in attendance, “a long-time and wellknown associate of Combs” told him “that Combs had heard of his talent and would be watching him perform. The associate specifically told Doe that if he performed well, Combs would discuss getting a deal with Bad Boy Records and arrange studio time between him and Combs.”
Following the performance, the man says that he attended an afterparty in the back of club, during which he was handed an “alcoholic beverage” containing Ciroc — Combs’ vodka brand — that was allegedly “from Combs himself.” After consuming the drink, the man claims he “quickly felt lightheaded and began slipping in and out of consciousness.”
During this time, according to the complaint, “Doe observed Combs and his entourage engaging in group sexual activity, often with other attendees who appeared either drugged, unconscious, or as if they were paid escorts. Doe believed most of the men participating in the sexual activities belonged to Combs’ entourage.”
At one point, the man claims that he regained consciousness to see Combs “grabbing his crotch while his pants had already been removed,” adding that “he believes that Combs had been performing oral sex on him because his penis was noticeably wet.” He goes on to allege that after regaining consciousness again, he “attempted to fight Combs off, but Combs’ security team stepped in,” and that Combs subsequently “threatened” him, “stating that he could easily contact his manager and ruin any chances he had of succeeding in the music industry if he did not comply.”
At this point, the man claims Combs ordered him “to have sex with a woman he did not know while Combs wanted to watch,” but that he escaped the venue after convincing Combs and his security team to let him use the bathroom.
He says that after the assault, he was afraid to report the alleged assault for fear of being blackballed in the music industry and later experienced “pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment and emotional torment,” adding that it “greatly affected” his desire to continue pursuing a music career.
Also named as defendants in the suit are Combs’ various business entities under the Combs Global umbrella, which are alleged to have “enabled” the assault.
The man is asking for compensatory and punitive damages.
“As we’ve said before, Mr. Combs cannot respond to every new publicity stunt, even in response to claims that are facially ridiculous or demonstrably false,” said attorneys for Combs in a statement sent to Billboard. “Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone — man or woman, adult or minor.”
Combs is currently awaiting the start of his criminal trial, which is set to commence on May 5, at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He is charged with running a criminal enterprise aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.” Among other accusations, Combs is alleged to have held so-called “freak offs” during which he and others drugged victims and coerced them into having sex. He is also accused of acts of violence and intimidation to silence his alleged victims. Combs faces a potential life prison sentence if convicted on all charges.
Alicia Keys accepted the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2025 Grammys Sunday night (Feb. 2). It was the second award she took home that evening, as her Broadway musical Hell’s Kitchen won the Grammy for best musical theater album, bringing Keys’ overall total to 17.
Queen Latifah presented the award and hailed the musician as a “constant inspiration through her voice, her talent, but most importantly, through her heart.” As she commanded the audience to properly congratulate the “Girl on Fire” hitmaker, the iconic rapper and actress yelled, “Make some noise, this girl is on fire!”
“I just want to give big love to my brother Dr. Dre who created a sound that began a movement, and your sound told me that if you’re a creative growing up in Compton or Hell’s Kitchen, you can touch the world,” Keys said. “I always had to fight for a certain level of respect as a songwriter, a composer and especially a producer. It’s strange that we don’t think of women as producers like Quincy or Dre or Swizzy, but female producers have always powered the industry.” Keys shouted out Patrice Rushen, Missy Elliott, Linda Perry, Grimes and Solange, to which the latter’s sister Beyoncé clapped.
The “Fallin’” artist continued to celebrate the other “superpower, groundbreaking, risk-takers” she’s worked with over the years, such as Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez and Universal Music Publishing Group CEO Jody Gerson, the latter of whom won the 2025 Industry Icon Award at Clive Davis’ Pre-Grammy Event Saturday night. “They saw in me what I didn’t see in myself, and we started She Is the Music to open the doors for other women who didn’t get the opportunities or credit they deserve. So this is for all the ladies that know the magic that they bring to the room,” she added.
She also criticized President Donald Trump’s executive orders rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. “This is not the time to shut down a diversity of voices. We’ve seen on this stage talented, hard-working people from different backgrounds with different points of view, and it changes the game. DEI is not a threat — it’s a gift,” Keys said while the audience roared with applause. “The more voices, the more powerful the sound. When destructive forces try to burn us down, we rise from the ashes like a phoenix. And as you see tonight, music is the unstoppable language that connects us all.”
The 2025 Grammy Awards broadcast is giving back to the local Los Angeles community ravaged by the devastating L.A. County wildfires. Host Trevor Noah revealed during his opening monologue on Sunday (Feb. 2) that the broadcast will be donating airtime to help amplify small businesses that were impacted by the wildfires. The first featured Orla […]
After Selena Gomez shared (and then deleted) a video weeping over the Trump administration’s immigration raids, the White House shared its own response video late Friday (Jan. 31) featuring mothers whose children were reportedly killed by undocumented immigrants.
The White House clip, posted to X, intersperses clips of Gomez crying over mass deportations in her since-deleted video with the mothers, who are critical of the singer/actress and tell her: “You don’t know who you’re crying for.”
In the original clip, Gomez — a Texas-born Mexican-American — says through tears, “All my people are getting attacked, the children. I don’t understand. I’m so sorry. I wish I could do something, but I can’t. I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise.”
In the White House response, Alexis Nungaray — whose 12-year-old daughter Jocelyn was killed in Houston in June 2024 — accuses Gomez of being insincere in her response. “Seeing that video, it’s hard to believe that it’s actually genuine and real because she’s an actress,” Nungaray says.
A September report funded by the National Institute of Justice using data from the Texas Department of Public Safety found that “undocumented immigrants are arrested at less than half the rate of native-born U.S. citizens for violent and drug crimes and a quarter the rate of native-born citizens for property crimes.”
Gomez’s original video was in response to Trump’s promise to begin major deportations as soon as he took office. Last week, Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X to announce that “deportation flights have begun. President Trump is sending a strong and clear message to the entire world: if you illegally enter the United States of America, you will face severe consequences.”
The two other mothers featured in the video are Tammy Nobles, whose 20-year-old daughter Kayla Hamilton was killed in 2022 in Aberdeen, Maryland, and Patty Morin, whose 37-year-old daughter Rachel was murdered in 2023 in Harford County, Maryland. Hamilton’s killer was an undocumented 16-year-old from El Salvador, while undocumented immigrants are facing charges for the murders of Morin and Nungaray.
Gomez’s video became a political lightning rod in the days after it was originally posted on Monday, with Republican Utah politician Sam Parker suggesting she should be deported as well because her grandparents originally entered the country illegally. “Thanks for the laugh and the threat,” Gomez responded on Instagram.
Flavor Flav and Chuck D are going harder than you think to help out people affected by the devastating wildfires in California, with the Public Enemy duo visiting affected families and raising money with the Black Music Action Coalition this week. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In […]
Jelly Roll didn’t write “I Am Not Okay” specifically about the Los Angeles fires, but like many of the songs performed during the Thursday (Jan. 30) FireAid benefit concert, it took on added meaning given the emotional upheaval Los Angelenos have gone through the past month as fires have ravaged parts of the county. Striding […]
It’s been almost a year since No Doubt made their long-awaited reunion at Coachella, and the Southern California natives came back together on Thursday night (Jan. 30) to perform at the FireAid benefit concert at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum. The band took the stage about halfway through the night, where they kicked off their performance […]
As if Anderson .Paak didn’t bring enough energy to the FireAid benefit concert at the Kia Forum on Thursday night (Jan. 30), the star turned up the hype meter even more when he brought our Dr. Dre for a celebratory, California-themed set.
The two teamed up for Dr. Dre’s 1999 hit “Still D.R.E.,” trading verses as Sheila E. tore up the drums. The mega-producer then thanked fans for all their love, 40 years into his career. “I appreciate all the first responders and all the firemen who put their lives on the line,” he told the crowd at the show, which supported victims of the wildfire crisis that has devastated the Los Angeles area. “It’s all about love for me tonight.”
.Paak and Dre weren’t done just yet, as the instantly recognizable opening “Caaaaliforniaaa” line of Dre and Tupac’s 1995 anthem, “California Love,” began to play. The two then performed the ode to the Golden State as a wrap-up to their high-energy performance.
Before Dre hit the stage, .Paak performed two songs off of his 2016 album, Malibu: “Put Me Thru” and “Come Down.”
The Jan. 30 event took place at two venues, with Billie Eilish, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting and Tate McRae playing at Intuit Dome.
Meanwhile, Anderson. Paak and Dr. Dre were joined at the Kia Forum by Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews and John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day (with an Eilish duet), John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks and The Black Crowes.
Throughout the broadcast, those looking to donate are urged to visit fireaidla.org. For every pledge made during the broadcast, Connie and Steve Ballmer — owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers and the Intuit Dome — will match it.