Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of sexual harassment, assault by music producer

NEW YORK — Hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs is accused of sexual harassment and assault by a music producer in a lawsuit filed on Monday.

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Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. filed suit against Combs, 54, in a Manhattan federal district court, The New York Times reported. Jones alleged that in 2022 and 2023, he worked on Combs’ latest album “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” producing nine of the 11 tracks.

Other defendants named in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York are Combs’ chief of staff Kristina Khorram; his adult son, Justin Combs; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam, according to Rolling Stone and NBC News.

Jones is seeking $30 million, NBC News reported.

In his complaint, Jones said that he lived and traveled with the three-time Grammy Award winner from September 2022 to November 2023, according to NBC News. Jones alleged that Combs touched him sexually without his consent and tried to “groom’ him into having sex with another man, the Times reported.

Jones also alleged that he was not properly paid for his work as a producer on “The Love Album,” Rolling Stone reported. Earlier this month, Jones started a crowdfunding campaign online headlined “Help Me Sue Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.”

As of Monday night, more than $1,400 had been pledged.

Combs’ attorney, Shawn Holley, called Jones “a liar” who was looking for “an undeserved payday,” according to the newspaper.

“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,” Holley said. “We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies.”

In a statement to Rolling Stone, Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn said “res ipsa loquitur,” a Latin legal term “for the thing speaks for itself.”

The lawsuit is the latest in legal issues for Combs.

In November he was sued by Casandra Ventura, his longtime girlfriend, the Times reported. She accused the singer of rape and physical abuse, but the complaint was settled in one day.

Three other cases accusing Combs of sexual assault followed. He has denied the allegations, stating that “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”

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Through the years Rap music recording artist Sean "Puffy" Combs is interviewed by the media at the 2001 MTV Movie Awards June 2, 2001 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Chris Weeks/Getty Images) (Chris Weeks/Getty Images)

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