Title: Former Employee of Sean “Diddy” Combs Files Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, and Grooming
A former producer and videographer for Sean “Diddy” Combs, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, has filed a civil complaint against the producer and businessman in New York federal court on Monday. The lawsuit accuses Combs of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and grooming during their collaboration on Combs’ most recent album, “Love,” between 2022 and 2023.
Jones claims that he was forced to work for Combs without compensation, procure and interact with sex workers, threatened, and served alcoholic beverages laced with drugs at parties held at Combs’ homes. In addition to Combs, the lawsuit names his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; former Motown CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam; and Combs’ adult son, Justin Combs as defendants.
Justin Combs is accused of soliciting prostitutes and underage girls to attend parties at his father’s homes. Khorram allegedly ordered prostitutes and illicit drugs for Combs and his guests, and Jones believed she “aided and abetted” Combs’ sexual assault. Grainge and Habtemariam are accused of sponsoring and attending listening parties for the “Love” album at Combs’ Los Angeles home, where they allegedly knew or should have known that Combs was drugging the attendees with laced bottles of DeLeon Tequila and Ciroc Vodka.
Jones is seeking $30 million in damages for the harm he suffered during his time working with Combs. The lawsuit provides graphic details of Jones’ allegations, including constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching, intimidation, and encouragement to engage in illegal activities. Jones also claims that he has secured hundreds of hours of footage and Website audio integration recordings of Combs and his guests engaging in serious illegal activity.
Combs’ attorney, Shawn Holley, denied the allegations in a statement, calling Jones a “liar.” The statement reads, “His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored.”
Justin Combs’ representative also issued a statement denying the allegations and warning of legal consequences for defamatory statements. Neither Khorram, Grainge, nor Habtemariam have issued public statements regarding the allegations.
The lawsuit includes allegations that Combs encouraged Jones to watch another man, producer and reality TV personality Steven ‘Stevie J’ Jordan, engage in sex with another man as an example of alleged grooming. Stevie J has denied the allegations and stated that his lawyer will handle the matter going forward.
Jones also claims in the suit that Combs is liable for a sexual assault he allegedly experienced by Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr., which took place on a yacht rented by Combs in the US Virgin Islands in January 2023. The suit alleges that Gooding was present with Combs’ consent and that Jones was a guest on the yacht.
Neither Gooding nor his representatives have commented publicly on the allegations, and he is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. In November 2023, Combs settled a lawsuit brought by his former girlfriend, singer Cassandra Ventura, who accused him of rape and years of physical and emotional abuse. Combs denied the allegations and called the settlement a mutual decision with no admission of wrongdoing.
Weeks after settling the Ventura lawsuit, at least two other civil lawsuits were filed against Combs with allegations of sexual assault. In a statement in December 2023, Combs denied the allegations and stated that he would fight for his name, family, and the truth.
