A federal judge has ruled that a woman who accused Diddy and two associates of sexually assaulting her in 2003 must bring the lawsuit under her real name. The woman, previously identified as Jane Doe, filed the lawsuit in December 2023, alleging that the assault occurred at Diddy’s New York recording studio when she was 17 years old.
Doe’s lawsuit, which also names Harve Pierre, a former Bad Boy Records executive, and an unidentified third individual, claims that the assault occurred after she was put on a private plane to New York City. The lawsuit was filed under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Victims Protection Law (VGMVPL).
Hip-hop mogul Sean Combs’s legal team sought to have the case dismissed, arguing that the VGMVPL was invalid due to the expiration of other statewide laws, such as the child victims, ending August 2021 .
But in her new decision, as reported by Rolling Stone This week, U.S. District Judge Jessica GL Clarke dismissed Combs’ challenge and allowed the case to proceed under the VGMVPL.
However, the judge ordered that Doe must reveal his true identity in order to continue litigation and dismissed defendants Daddy’s House, Combs’ Manhattan studio and Bad Boy Records from the case.
Despite requiring Doe to reveal his identity, the ruling was seen as a positive outcome for the plaintiff. It could also set a precedent for other similar lawsuits filed under the same law.
Combs currently faces about 20 lawsuits alleging various forms of sexual misconduct. The handling of Doe’s case could affect how courts approach the issue of anonymity in these cases. Last month, another judge ordered accuser Candice McCrary to reveal her name in the lawsuit against Combs, which alleges a 2004 assault.
Neither Combs’ representatives nor Doe’s attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and Meredith Firetog, commented publicly on the ruling.
Doe’s allegations, detailed in her December 2023 filing, claim that Pierre approached her at a Detroit-area waiting room, claiming that Combs wanted to meet her. That same night, she alleges she was flown to New Jersey and then taken to Daddy’s House studio in Manhattan.
Once there, she said she was injected with large amounts of drugs and alcohol, causing her to lose consciousness. The lawsuit alleges that Combs, Pierre and another man assaulted her while she was unconscious and then woke up on the floor in pain. She said she then flew back to Detroit with the missing underwear.
Combs has strongly denied the allegations, calling them baseless in a public statement released after the lawsuit was filed. “That’s enough,” he said. “Over the past few weeks, I have sat silently and watched people attempt to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy.”
He added, “Disgusting allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I have not done any terrible things accused. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
Combs, 55, is also facing separate federal charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering. He was arrested in September and is being held without bail. He pleaded not guilty and could face life in prison if convicted.
Tags Diddy, Sean Combs