Woman claims Diddy, his security 'violently' raped her in 2001
Hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs is being sued by a woman, Thalia Graves, over an alleged sexual assault that occurred in the early 2000s. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday. Graves alleges that Combs and his then-bodyguard, Joseph "Big Joe" Sherman, "viciously raped her" at the Bad Boy Records studio in New York City around the summer of 2001.
Graves details alleged assault by Combs, Sherman
In her complaint, Graves—who was 25 at that time, and dating one of Combs' employees—alleges that the rapper and his bodyguard drugged her during a meeting under the guise of discussing her then-boyfriend's "performance issues." She claims to have lost consciousness after consuming wine provided by the men. Upon regaining consciousness, she found herself "bound and restrained." She alleges that Combs and Sherman then sexually assaulted her despite her cries for help.
Why did Graves not report the assault then?
Graves refrained from reporting the alleged assault at the time due to fear that Combs and Sherman "would use their power to ruin her life," as stated in the lawsuit. She reportedly experienced suicidal ideation following the incident and has undergone "extensive psychological treatment." According to her complaint, Graves continues to suffer from "severe depression, anxiety and panic attacks" as a result of the alleged assault.
Assault of Graves recorded and shared, lawsuit claims
In November 2023, Graves discovered that Combs and Sherman had allegedly recorded their assault on her, according to the lawsuit. She alleges they showed the footage to multiple men and sold it as pornography. When Graves attempted to contact Sherman to request the destruction of the tape or its return to her, he did not respond. The lawsuit states that this alleged recording violates New York Civil Rights Law 52-B.
Graves seeks damages, court order to delete tapes
Graves is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages in her lawsuit. She also requests a court order requiring Combs and Sherman to destroy all copies of the video of her alleged sexual assault and refrain from distributing it further. Graves has also requested a trial by jury in this case. In addition to Combs and Sherman, several of Combs's companies, including Bad Boy Records, are named in Graves's 26-page complaint.
Combs remains in custody amid sex trafficking charges
Combs is currently in federal custody following his arrest on September 16, charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. His appeals for bail have been denied twice, and he has been ordered to remain in custody. This comes as part of a larger investigation into sex trafficking allegations against the hip-hop mogul, which included a pair of federal raids on his properties.
