Singer is terrified of Diddy, lawyer says

Dawn Richard, a former member of two groups formed by Sean “Diddy” Combs, was “absolutely terrified” of the rapper, her lawyer says.

The singer sued Combs in Septemberaccusing him of threatening her life and “subjecting her to years of inhumane working conditions, including groping, assault and false imprisonment.”

Ms. Richard, a former member of Danity Kane and Diddy – Dirty Money, is one of more than two dozen people who have filed lawsuits against him. He also faces criminal charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

He denies the allegations and his lawyer has called Ms Richard’s claims ‘fabricated’ and ‘false’.

Speaking to the BBC’s Newsnight On Thursday, attorney Lisa Bloom said her client alleged that “he groped and grabbed her body parts, sexually assaulted her, not only failed to pay the money she was promised, but actually prevented her from eating and sleeping during those years – treated its just horrible”.

Ms. Bloom also alleged that the singer witnessed “a number of serious acts of violence” by Mr. Combs against his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and other women.

“And when she spoke out, she said she was threatened with more physical violence. She said Sean Combs had a vicious temper and she was absolutely terrified of him.”

‘Violent atmosphere’

Ms. Ventura, also a singer, sued Combs a year ago, accusing him of rape and sex trafficking, and settled the case a day later.

A video later emerged of him attacking her in a hotel hallway in 2016.

Ms. Richard’s lawsuit said she witnessed him “brutally beat” Ms. Ventura and tried many times to intervene and encourage her to leave him.

“Each time, Mr. Combs learned of her attempts to help Ms. Ventura and became enraged, threatening Ms. Richard’s life,” the document said.

He allegedly told her that “there will be consequences” if she told anyone, and warned that “people are missing.”

Ms Bloom said: “Dawn Richard, my client, says that when she spoke out about it, he tried to get Cassie to speak out… When she complained about it, she was also threatened with physical violence. So (it was) just a really violent, tumultuous atmosphere.”

Combs’ attorney, Erica Wolff, said the rapper was “shocked and disappointed” by Ms. Richard’s lawsuit and that she had “filed a series of false claims, all in the hopes of getting a payday.”

He “stood confidently in the truth and looks forward to proving that in court,” she added.

Bandmate’s ‘divergent memories’

On Thursday, Ms Bloom also told Newsnight that she has another client who is preparing to come forward with allegations relating to parties organized by Mr Combs and dubbed “freak-offs”.

“But many other people have already come forward with allegations that people were drugged, that they were coerced into sexual activity to make business deals with Sean Combs,” she said.

Combs is due back in court Friday to file a new bail request in his criminal case. Judges have previously rejected his bail requests, citing the risk he would tamper with witnesses.

Earlier this week, prosecutors alleged he violated prison rules by contacting potential witnesses through other inmates’ phone accounts.

According to the New York Timesprosecutors focused on a witness named Kalenna Harper, who was the third member of Diddy – Dirty Money, alongside Mr. Combs and Ms. Richard.

Prosecutors say Mr. Combs had 128 telephone contacts with Ms. Harper shortly after Ms. Richard filed her lawsuit. American media reported this.

Ms. Harper issued a statement saying Ms. Richard’s allegations are “not representative of my experiences, and some do not reflect my own truth.”

On Newsnight, Ms Bloom did not mention Ms Harper by name but said there was a woman with whom Ms Richard had worked who “came out publicly and essentially called my client a liar”.

She continued, “The strong implication is that he persuaded her to make those statements, and perhaps gave her money.” We don’t know.

“But that would be witness tampering. That’s what the government argued. The judge agreed and as a result he was denied bail, which he should have done.”

However, Mr. Combs’ lawyers have argued that Ms. Harper’s testimony was “the furthest from witness obstruction that I can think of,” and involved only “two witnesses with differing memories of similar events.”

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