In a new lawsuit, Sean “Diddy” Combs has been accused of sexual assault by a former employee. Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, a former producer and videographer for Diddy, filed the lawsuit in New York federal court alleging that Combs sexually harassed, drugged and threatened him for more than a year. Jones produced nine songs on Combs’ recent ‘Love’ album from September 2022 to November 2023; he is seeking $30 million in damages.
According to the 73-page lawsuit, Combs’ adult son, Justin; his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam are also named as defendants. Jones said that while working on the ‘Love’ project, he lived with the Diddy, 54, in various U.S. cities and also also vacationed with him outside of the country. Jones claims that during this time, he “witnessed, experienced, and endured many things that went far beyond his role as a producer on the Love album.”
Jones alleges that due to his role as a videographer, he was “required to constantly record” Diddy, and “as a result, Mr. Jones has secured HUNDREDS of hours of footage and audio recordings of Mr. Combs, his staff, and his guests engaging in serious illegal activity .. throughout his time living with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones was the victim of constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching” by Mr. Combs. Jones also alleges that on Thanksgiving Day in 2022, the female cousin of Yung Miami (Combs’ girlfriend at the time), sexually assaulted him as well “in the presence of Mr. Combs and his staff.”
Shawn Holley, Combs’ lawyer, responded in a statement: “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. 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, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”
A rep for Justin Combs told TMZ, “Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family.”
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