A former employee of Sean 鈥淒iddy鈥 Combs has filed a lawsuit against the producer and businessman, accusing him of sexual assault, sexual harassment and 鈥済rooming.鈥
Rodney 鈥淟il Rod鈥 Jones, a former producer and videographer for Combs, filed his civil complaint in New York federal court on Monday. He states he worked for and travelled with Combs between 2022 - 2023, while collaborating with Combs on his most recent album, 鈥淟ove.鈥
Among other allegations, Jones claims that Combs did not compensate him for his music producing work, forced him to procure and interact with sex workers, threatened him and served alcoholic beverages laced with drugs to guests at parties at his homes. Combs鈥 chief of staff, Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; former Motown CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam; and Combs鈥 adult son, Justin, are also named as defendants.
Justin Combs is accused of soliciting prostitutes and underage girls to attend parties at his father鈥檚 homes. Khorram allegedly ordered prostitutes and illicit drugs for Combs and his guests and according to the lawsuit, Jones believed Khorram 鈥渁ided and abetted鈥 Combs鈥 sexual assault. Grainge and Habtemarian, according to the lawsuit, 鈥渟ponsored and attended several鈥 listening parties for the 鈥淟ove鈥 album at Combs鈥 Los Angeles home, and 鈥渒new or should have known that Mr. Combs was drugging the attendees through laced bottles of DeLeon Tequila, and Ciroc Vodka.鈥 As sponsors of these events, the lawsuit states Grainge and Habtemarian 鈥渉ad a duty and obligation to ensure that sex workers and underaged girls were not present, and that Mr. Combs was not spiking the alcohol with date rape drugs.鈥
Jones is seeking US$30 million.
Shawn Holley, Sean Combs鈥 attorney, denied the allegations in a statement to CNN, calling Jones 鈥渁 liar.鈥
鈥淗is reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies,鈥 Holley said in the statement. 鈥淥ur attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones鈥 attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.鈥
A representative for Justin Combs told CNN in a statement: 鈥淛ustin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family.鈥
CNN has reached out to an attorney for Jones for comment on their statements. Representatives for Khorram, Grainge and Habtemariam were not immediately available for comment.
According to the complaint, obtained by CNN, Jones claims that 鈥淭hroughout his time living with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones was the victim of constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching of his anus.鈥
When Jones raised concerns about the alleged harassment to Khorram, the lawsuit states she dismissed it as 鈥渇riendly horseplay.鈥
Jones described Combs as 鈥渇orceful and demanding鈥 in the lawsuit, claiming that Combs displayed firearms, talked about getting away with shooting people, and intimidated Jones with his influence in the music industry.
As his videographer, Jones alleges that he 鈥渉as secured HUNDREDS of hours of footage and audio recordings of Mr. Combs, his staff, and his guests engaging in serious illegal activity.鈥
Sean 'Diddy' Combs as host of the Billboard Music Awards in 2022. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP via CNN Newsource)
Citing as an example of alleged grooming he experienced by Combs, Jones claims that Combs encouraged him to watch producer and reality TV personality Steven 鈥楽tevie J鈥 Jordan, someone who Combs allegedly knew Jones admired professionally, engage in sex with another man.
鈥淭his was done to ease Mr. Jones鈥 anxiety concerning homosexuality,鈥 the suit alleges. 鈥淎ccording to Mr. Combs, 鈥榯his is a normal practice in the music industry, look even Stevie J is doing it.鈥欌
Stevie J is not accused of wrongdoing and is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. In a statement to CNN, he called Jones鈥 allegations 鈥渇alse.鈥
鈥淢y lawyer will be handling this going forward,鈥 Stevie J added.
Jones also alleges in the suit that Combs is liable for a sexual assault he says he experienced by Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr., which allegedly took place 鈥渙n a yacht rented by Mr. Combs in the US Virgin Islands in January 2023.鈥
鈥淢r. Combs was present while Mr. Jones was being assaulted by Cuba Gooding Jr.,鈥 the suit alleges. 鈥淢r. Jones was legally on the premises as a guest and invitee of Mr. Combs. Cuba Gooding Jr. was legally on the premises as a guest and invitee of Mr. Combs.鈥
Gooding, Jr. has not publicly commented on the complaint and his representatives have not yet returned CNN鈥檚 request for comment. He is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
In November 2023, Combs settled a suit brought by his former girlfriend, singer Casandra Ventura, who alleged she was raped and subjected to years of repeated physical and other abuses by Combs.
鈥淎 decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,鈥 Ben Brafman, an attorney for Combs, told CNN in a statement at the time. 鈥淢r. Combs鈥 decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best.鈥
Weeks later, at least two other civil lawsuits were filed against Combs with allegations of sexual assault.
鈥淚 have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,鈥 Combs said in a statement in December. 鈥淪ickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. 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.鈥
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