Diddy Accused of Sexual Assault by 6th Woman in New York Lawsuit
Originally appeared on E! Online
Content warning: This story contains details of sexual assault.
Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing another legal battle.
In a lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court of New York County May 23, April Lampros—a woman who says she met Combs as a college student in the late ‘90s—is accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her on four occasions, according to the claim obtained by NBC News.
Lampros alleges in court documents, per the outlet, that Combs promised to be her mentor in the industry before exhibiting "aggressive" and "coercive" behavior. According to the suit, after Lampros met Combs in New York City in 1994, he sexually assaulted her on four occasions.
She alleges in the suit that the first time Combs assaulted her was in 1995, per NBC News, after Combs pressured her to drink alcohol once they met up at a New York City bar. She went on to state she felt "uneasy" after a few sips and was guided to leave in a car with Combs, stating that she was later assaulted while passed out on a bed in a hotel.
Hollywood's Many Men Accused of Sexual Misconduct
More from E! Online
TikToker Remi Bader Reveals Before-and-After Fitness Transformation
Patrick Mahomes' Wife Brittany Mahomes Gives Health Update After Fracturing Her Back
Millie Bobby Brown Marries Jake Bongiovi in Private Ceremony
Lampros goes on to accuse the musician of assaulting her on three more occasions in the court docs, alleging that during one of the incidents, she was forced to take ecstasy and have sex with Combs' late ex-girlfriend Kim Porter.
In a statement obtained by NBC News shortly after the filing, Lampros said, "I'm confident that justice will prevail and the veil will be removed so no other woman will have to endure what I did."
E! News has reached out to Combs' reps for comment on the accusations and has not heard back.
Lampros is the sixth woman to accuse Combs of sexual assault in a lawsuit. Combs previously denied the accusations against him, calling them "sickening" and an "assassination" of his character.
The latest claim filed against the entrepreneur also comes after CNN published a 2016 surveillance video showing Combs assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
In the footage, which E! News has not independently verified, Diddy appears to be shown picking up an object from a table and throwing it at Ventura, which matches the description of an incident she detailed in her November lawsuit against her ex accusing him of rape and abuse. At the time, Combs denied any wrongdoing and settled the lawsuit one day after it was filed.
Days after the release, Ventura shared her gratitude for the support she's received after it surfaced.
"Domestic Violence is THE issue," the "Me & U" singer—who was in an on-and-off relationship with the rapper for over a decade until 2018—wrote in her Instagram post. "It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from my past."
As for Combs, he also addressed the matter publicly after the video was published.
"I was f--ked up," he said in his May 19 Instagram video. "I hit rock bottom. But I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video."
Keep reading for more on Combs' recent legal troubles.
(E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Search Warrants Executed on Diddy’s L.A. and Miami Properties
Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed search warrants at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami properties on March 25, multiple law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC News.
The sources told the outlet the warrant was out of the Southern District of New York, and a spokesperson for HSI New York confirmed to E! News it “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”
Law enforcement sources told NBC News the music mogul was in the Miami area when the search warrants were executed.
News about the investigation broke after Combs faced allegations of sexual misconduct in lawsuits filed by multiple accusers starting in November, with the musician denying the allegations.
“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he wrote in a December statement posted on Instagram. “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.”
Diddy’s Attorney Speaks Out
The day after HSI executed the search warrants at Combs' L.A. and Miami properties, his lawyer spoke out.
"Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences," attorney Aaron Dyer said in a March 26 statement to E! News. "There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated."
Dyer noted Combs “was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities.”
“Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way,” his lawyer's statement continued. “This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”
And Dyer expressed Combs' intent to defend himself.
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” he added. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”
Details About the Raid Revealed
As for what actually went down during the searches, multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the warrant told NBC News authorities with the Department of Homeland Security seized phones from Combs’ home in Miami before he was scheduled to travel to the Bahamas, and several sources familiar with the matter added that guns were discovered during the search.
One source familiar with the matter also told NBC News three women and one man were interviewed by prosecutors and investigators from the Southern District of New York about allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms purportedly tied to Combs.
Diddy’s Associate Brendan Paul Arrested on Suspicion of Drug Possession
On the same day the search warrants were executed at Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles properties, one of his associates, Brendan Paul, was arrested by the Miami-Dade police on suspicion of drug possession, a law enforcement source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
According to the Miami-Dade arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet, Paul was taken into custody for allegedly possessing suspected cocaine and suspected marijuana candy.
Prison records obtained by NBC News show Paul was released on March 26 after posting bond.
“We do not plan on trying this case in the media,” Paul’s attorney Brian Bieber said in a statement obtained by the outlet, “all issues will be dealt with in court.”
For more information on domestic abuse or to get help for yourself or someone you love, visit the website for The National Domestic Violence Hotline (http://www.thehotline.org/) or call 1-800-799-7233.
