Diddy’s accuser must reveal his name or the rape case will be dismissed, the judge rules

A woman who anonymously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs for rape this month must reveal her name or her lawsuit will be dismissed, a judge has ruled.

The woman’s complaint, filed under “Jane Doe” in the Southern District of New York, accuses Combs of raped her in a Manhattan hotel in 2004 when she was a 19-year-old college student.

However, U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil said in a ruling Wednesday that while the case is highly sensitive and Jane Doe is likely to face public scrutiny if she continues under her own name, her desire to remain anonymous does not outweigh the interests of Combs and the public “in the customary and constitutionally embedded presumption of openness in judicial proceedings.”

Vyskocil said the woman’s complaint did not provide sufficient evidence that she would be at “significant risk of harm” if she were publicly named. Vyskocil said her attorneys offered “no support for this claim,” aside from the fact that Combs threatened Doe’s life 20 years ago if she fled at the time of the alleged rape. The complaint also stated that Combs has had no contact with Doe in the years since, and noted that Combs is currently in custody.

The judge also said her lawyers failed to prove that revealing Doe’s identity would cause mental harm, noting that “public humiliation” was not enough. She said they failed to produce evidence from a mental health professional or an affidavit from Doe.

Vyskocil said she also considered fairness to Combs’ camp in defending herself, which would be difficult without her identity being made public since the alleged attack happened 20 years ago.

“Defendants have the right to defend themselves, including by investigating the plaintiff, and the people have the right to know who is using their courts.”

In denying the motion, the judge gave Jane Doe until November 13 to file a complaint in her own name “or this case will be dismissed.”

Attorney Tony Buzbee filed the lawsuit under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, which gives victims a two-year period ending in March 2025 to file older claims. This lawsuit was one of six complaints Buzbee filed anonymously on October 14 in the Southern District of New York.

When asked for comment, Buzbee had no comment on the court’s ruling.

The complaint was filed against Sean Combs, several of his companies, including his label Bad Boy Records LLC, and Marriott International.

The complaint alleged that Jane Doe, who now lives in Tennessee, was invited to one of Comb’s photo shoots in Brooklyn, New York, in 2004.

She went to the photo shoot where she and another freshman from her dorm were invited to an after party. At that party, Combs told Doe and her boyfriend, “They should come to his hotel first for a more exclusive party.” Doe and her friend agreed and were taken to a Marriott hotel in the Manhattan area by a member of Comb’s entourage, the complaint said.

There, Doe and her friend were allegedly grabbed and taken to a separate bedroom, away from the main party, and locked in with Combs, according to the complaint.

Once inside, Combs allegedly gave them drinks, ordered cocaine and forcibly touched them, the complaint said. He allegedly ordered Doe’s boyfriend to perform oral sex “or he would have them both killed” and raped Doe, the complaint said.

A security guard opened the door at one point and Doe’s friend rushed out. Doe was ordered to stay put and she waited about a half hour until another security guard came and told her she could leave, the complaint said.

The controversial music mogul was arrested in New York in Septemberafter a wave of lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct. The lawsuits came after his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, known by her stage name Cassie, sued him in federal court, accusing him of years of physical and sexual abuse.

The two settled a day after the lawsuit was filed, without disclosing the terms. An attorney for Combs said the settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing. He previously denied the allegations.

Combs’ attorneys have denied allegations of sexual misconduct.