Sean “Diddy” Combs, the music mogul behind Bad Boy Records, is facing another serious accusation of sexual assault.
A new lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, September 24, in federal court in New York, alleges that Diddy and his former bodyguard Joseph Sherman raped a woman in 2001, an act that was reportedly videotaped and later shared.
The plaintiff, identified as Thalia Graves, recounts that in 2001 she was dating an employee at Bad Boy Records. According to the lawsuit, Diddy contacted Graves under the pretense of discussing her partner’s performance at work. However, when she met with him, Graves alleges that she was drugged and sexually assaulted by both Diddy and Sherman.
The complaint states that the meeting took place in Diddy’s SUV, where Graves was given a glass of wine. Unbeknownst to her, the drink had allegedly been drugged. After arriving at Diddy’s studio, she says she passed out. When she regained consciousness, Graves claims she was naked with her hands tied behind her back with a plastic bag.
The lawsuit further accuses both Diddy and Sherman of threatening Graves to remain silent, warning her that if she ever spoke out, she could face severe consequences, including losing custody of her son.
Related stories
According to the complaint, Graves only recently learned that the assault was recorded, after her former boyfriend revealed in November 2023 that Diddy and Sherman had shown him the video.
The lawsuit asserts that sharing these videos was part of a larger pattern and accuses Sherman of selling such recordings. A former Bad Boy artist reportedly confirmed in a text message that Sherman had engaged in this behavior, saying that he often filmed and sold these incidents.
Graves is represented by high-profile attorney Gloria Allred, who is expected to hold a press conference about the case in Los Angeles.
