US

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of sexual assault in six new lawsuits – including boy, 16

Sean 'Diddy' Combs accused of sexual assault in six new lawsuits - including boy, 16

Sean “Diddy” Combs has been hit by a new batch of lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault against six people, including a 16-year-old boy.

The civil cases filed at a federal court in New York City on Monday accuse Combs, known as P Diddy, of raping women, sexually assaulting men and molesting the boy.

All were filed anonymously – two by women identified as Jane Does and four by men identified as John Does.

It comes after lawyer Tony Buzbee announced on 1 October that he was representing 120 accusers and would be filing their lawsuits against the hip-hop mogul over the coming weeks.

Combs has been held at a federal jail in Brooklyn since first being arrested and criminally charged in September, for what prosecutors describe as a long-running scheme of sex trafficking and racketeering.

One of the John Does in the newly filed lawsuits, a man living in North Carolina, claims Combs molested him when he was 16 at one of the rapper’s famous white parties in Long Island’s Hamptons in 1998.

The man alleges the assault occurred during a conversation about how to become a music star. Combs is alleged to have said: “Don’t you want to break into the business?”

The other lawsuits include allegations of rape and drugging to incapacitate victims.

Read more: What is Sean Combs charged with and when is his trial?

One of the Jane Does alleged Combs raped her in a hotel room in 2004 and forced her friend to perform a sex act on him – and also threatened to have them both killed if they did not comply with his demands.

A statement from the law firm representing the alleged victims said: “We will let the allegations in the filed complaints speak for themselves, and will work to see that justice is done.

“We expect to be filing many more cases over the next several weeks naming Mr Combs and others as defendants as we continue to gather evidence and prepare the filings.”

Responding to the new lawsuits, a statement from Combs’ lawyers said: “The press conference and 1-800 number that preceded today’s barrage of filings were clear attempts to garner publicity.

“Mr Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defences, and the integrity of the judicial process.

“In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone – adult or minor, man or woman.

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Combs, 54, pleaded not guilty last month to a three-count indictment charging him with using his business empire, including record label Bad Boy Entertainment, to transport male and female sex workers across state lines to take part in recorded sexual performances called “freak offs”.