Warning: This article discusses sexual assault, rape, and abuse of a minor. Read with discretion.
Four more men have filed federal lawsuits against Sean Combs, aka Diddy, for alleged sexual assault. According to NBC, the complaints were filed in New York on behalf of six unnamed victims—four men and two women. The assaults span across nearly three decades as alleged in the filings. At least one victim claims that the assault happened when he was 16.
These assaults allegedly happened independently of each other, but they demonstrate a pattern of behavior of Combs allegedly abusing his power and privilege. Of the four men, two were assaulted during “White Parties” held by Combs in the Hamptons, according to the filings. One of the White Party victims was 16 at the time of the alleged assault in 1998. Another White Party victim alleges his assault occurred in 2006 while he worked for a security company.
A third victim alleges that Combs assaulted him while at work in 2008. At the time, the victim worked at Macy’s, and he alleges Combs came into the stockroom where he worked and forced the victim to perform sexual acts. This victim also named Macy’s as a defendant alongside Combs. According to the victim, he was fired not long after the alleged assault, and he alleges he was fired to protect a multi-million dollar deal between Combs and the department store.
The most recent allegation claims the assault occurred in 2021. At an unspecified party, the victim alleges that Combs and other unidentified men assaulted him. The victim alleges he was disoriented after one drink, implying that he was drugged.
None of the victims are named in the lawsuits, and their sexualities are not specified. Even so, over half of queer men report experiencing sexual assault in their life. Furthermore, sexual assault crimes rarely have anything to do with the sexuality of the assailant.
The lawsuits seek unspecified damages in civil court. Many of the filings fall outside New York State’s statute of criminal limitations. Due to New York City’s lookback window, there are no limitations for civil claims until March 2025. These particular filings all allegedly occurred in New York City or the Hamptons.
Photo courtesy of Jan Tinneberg via Unsplash
