Cassie (real name: Casandra Ventura) filed a sex trafficking and sexual assault lawsuit against Combs in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY.
The singer is also suing Combs’ companies Bad Boy Entertainment, Bad Boy Records, Combs Enterprises, LLC, as well as Epic Records.
The complaint alleges that Cassie, who began a professional and sexual relationship with the rap mogul when she was 19, was trafficked, raped, and viciously beat by Combs over the course of a decade.
“After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships,” Cassie said in a statement.Â
“With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life.”
Cassie met a then-37-year-old Combs in 2005 when she was signed to Bad Boy Records. After being lured into an “ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle” and a romantic relationship with Combs, Cassie alleges in the lawsuit that Combs “took control” of her life, ranging from her healthcare to her career opportunities and plied her with drugs and alcohol.
“Mr. Combs asserted complete control over Ms. Ventura’s personal and professional life, thereby ensuring her inability to escape his hold,” the filing read.
“He provided unprecedented avenues for success for the aspiring artist, but in return, demanded obedience, loyalty, and silence.”
© Copyright RawNews1st
