Dec 22, 2024

Legal Woes in the Macho Rap World: Serious Abuse Lawsuits Abound Against Diddy While 50 Cent Fights in Court Over Business and Family Law Matters

by Diane Lilli | Oct 14, 2024
Image of Sean Combs (Diddy) and Curtis Jackson (50 Cent), both prominent figures in the rap industry, highlighting their ongoing legal battles. Photo Source: Prince Williams/WireImage and Paras Griffin/Getty Images via nme.com

Sean Combs, aka Diddy, and Curtis Jackson, aka 50 Cent, have long feuded publicly. Currently, Jackson is behind a Netflix docuseries on Combs, with the subject being Combs’ current legal troubles centered around sex trafficking, racketeering, sexual assault and abuse allegations and lawsuits plaguing the rap mogul. Yet, meanwhile, Jackson himself is no stranger to the courtroom and has found himself on both sides of numerous lawsuits this year, many of which are still ongoing.

Here is an overview of both rappers’ cases currently winding their way through the criminal and civil court systems.

Sean Combs

Combs is facing a plethora of severe accusations, with his trial set for May 5. Diddy faces criminal charges in federal court plus numerous lawsuits against him in civil court from individuals claiming he exploited and/or harmed them.

His federal and civil charges to date include the following allegations:

  • Prosecutors charge that Diddy kidnapped, drugged and coerced numerous women into sexual activities.
  • He is accused of “sometimes” using a firearm or threatening them with violence.
  • Mr. Combs is accused of numerous cases of assault.
  • He is accused of numerous cases of rape.
  • Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, handling some of the alleged victim’s claims, said that there are about one hundred or more men and women who are suing him now or planning to sue him for serious charges of rape and abuse.
  • Combs’ former girlfriend Cassandra Ventura sued him last year for “violently raping and abusing her.” (This case has been settled, with Mr. Combs denying Ms. Ventura’s accusations.)
  • He is being charged with the trafficking of numerous alleged victims.
  • The lawsuit claims he “sex trafficked” and “gang raped” adults and a

minor when she was only 17 years old.

  • Multiple alleged victims filed claims against Combs of sexual assaults, dating back to 1991.

Some of the evidence against Combs includes video from hotel footage showing him kicking his former girlfriend Ms. Ventura as she tries to flee and then falls to the ground. His attorneys have petitioned the court not to include the video in evidence since they allege CNN leaked the video and that it "led to damaging, highly prejudicial pretrial publicity that can only taint the jury pool and deprive Mr. Combs of his right to a fair trial".

Curtis Jackson

Curtis Jackson, another global music celebrity, has been the accused in numerous legal cases and also the plaintiff. Jackson said publicly in 2023 that since he began his career, he has spent $24 million in legal fees.

Some of his ongoing cases include:

  • Jackson recently won a lawsuit when he was sued for $1 billion for stealing the life story of a former drug kingpin for his superhit show, Power. The case was dismissed by a New York Judge.
  • He is currently suing to gain sole custody of his 12-year-old son Sire, who he was sharing with his former girlfriend Daphne Joy.
  • In March, prior to his new suit to gain sole guardianship of his son, Jackson was sued by Joy, who claimed he physically abused and raped her. He denies all wrongdoing.
  • Jackson filed a countersuit against Joy in late March. Jackson dropped his countersuit against Joy earlier this week.
  • Jackson is suing a jewelry designer for trademark infringement and unfair competition related to the jeweler’s use of a piece of jewelry in the film Uncut Gems.

As per Mr. Combs, since he is considered by the judge to be a serious “flight risk,” he is being held at the Brooklyn New York Metropolitan Detention Center.

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Diane Lilli
Diane Lilli
Diane Lilli is an award-winning Journalist, Editor, and Author with over 18 years of experience contributing to New Jersey news outlets, both in print and online. Notably, she played a pivotal role in launching the first daily digital newspaper, Jersey Tomato Press, in 2005. Her work has been featured in various newspapers, journals, magazines, and literary publications across the nation. Diane is the proud recipient of the Shirley Chisholm Journalism Award.

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