Sep 20, 2024

Music Mogul Diddy Faces Seventh Sexual Assault Lawsuit — This time from former NYC College Student

by Nadia El-Yaouti | Jun 03, 2024
Lucas Jackson/Reuters/File via CNN Photo Source: Lucas Jackson/Reuters/File via CNN

Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing a seventh sexual assault lawsuit. This newest accusation comes from a woman who says she was victimized by Combs three decades ago when she was a college student in New York City.

The plaintiff, April Lampros, filed her lawsuit in Manhattan Court earlier this month. In it, she names Combs; Bad Boy Records; Arista Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment; and others as defendants. Lampros makes numerous claims revolving around forced drug use and an “aggressive, coercive, and abusive relationship based on sex.” Her complaint is also dotted with photographs showing Combs and Lampros together during the time she says the sexual abuse took place.

Lampros, who was a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City at the time of the accusations, says she first met Combs in 1994. After learning about her aspirations to work in the fashion industry, Combs allegedly promised to step in as a mentor and help her navigate the industry.

While the pair's introduction had an innocent start, her lawsuit goes on to paint a grim picture of control, abuse, and sexual misconduct. She says that soon into their friendship, the relationship turned sexual and that there were “four terrifying sexual encounters.” The allegations described in detail one such encounter during which Lampros began to feel ill after she took a couple of sips from a single drink.

In another instance, she says that after Combs coerced her into taking the popular party drug ecstasy, she was forced to engage in sexual acts with Comb’s former girlfriend, Kim Porter. Lampros says she “vocally opposed” the interaction but was fearful that any deviation from what Combs wanted would result in her being blacklisted from the industry.

The complaint details, “Ms. Lampros knew that she had to comply because she had witnessed what happens when someone defies Mr. Combs.” The lawsuit continues, “She had also been threatened and victimized by Mr. Combs and did not want to cause a problem because she feared him.”

This newest lawsuit marks the seventh complaint filed against Combs in the past six months. The lawsuit comes days after hotel camera surveillance footage shows the music star violently assaulting his former girlfriend, singer Casandra “Cassie” Elizabeth Ventura. Amid the flurry of lawsuits, Combs is also the subject of a federal criminal investigation over accusations of abuse.

Over the months, Combs and his legal team have vehemently denied any wrongdoing. After the hotel footage surfaced of the violent assault, Diddy walked back his stance saying that he took “full responsibility” for that incident with Cassie that was caught on camera and that he was “truly sorry.”

Lampros’ lawsuit argues that Combs is guilty of charges including civil battery, sexual assault, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

She also says Combs violated New York City’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law and that Combs’ actions rise to the level of a crime of violence that was motivated by gender as outlined in the law.

Under a new amendment to this law, victims now have a two-year window starting from March 1, 2023, to March 1, 2025, to file a claim against a defendant for gender-motivated assaults that happened anytime in the past.

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Nadia El-Yaouti
Nadia El-Yaouti
Nadia El-Yaouti is a postgraduate from James Madison University, where she studied English and Education. Residing in Central Virginia with her husband and two young daughters, she balances her workaholic tendencies with a passion for travel, exploring the world with her family.