Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces third sexual assault lawsuit within a week

More sexual assault claims have been filed against Sean Combs in New York, after the rap mogul known as 'Diddy' and R&B singer Cassie settled a suit alleging physical abuse and rape last week. Photo: AFP

Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing another lawsuit accusing him of sexual and physical abuse.

The hip-hop mogul who founded Bad Boy Records is being accused, alongside R&B singer Aaron Hall, of sexually assaulting an unnamed woman and her friend, then beating one of them several days later, according to the Associated Press.

According to the lawsuit, filed on Thursday and obtained by AP, the alleged incident occurred in the early 1990s. The accuser said she was coerced into having sex with Combs and was later pinned down by Hall and forced to have sex with him too. The accuser's friend was also allegedly forced to have sex with the two musicians. According to the suit, Combs showed up to the women's home days later to discourage them from coming forward. He allegedly then choked the woman identified as Jane Doe until she passed out.

A spokesperson for Combs denied the allegations.

"These are fabricated claims falsely alleging misconduct from over 30 years ago and filed at the last minute," Combs' spokesperson said in a statement to People. "This is nothing but a money grab. Because of Mr. Combs' fame and success, he is an easy target for anonymous accusers who lie without conscience or consequence for financial benefit."

It's the third sexual assault lawsuit against Combs filed within a week, renewing discussions about how sexual assault and harassment have long plagued the music industry.

Another lawsuit was filed Thursday against Combs in Manhattan Supreme Court by a woman alleging that the rapper drugged and raped her in 1991 when she was a college student and "reluctantly agreed" to have dinner with him at a restaurant in Harlem.

The lawsuit alleges that Combs "pushed" for her to keep him company afterward and accuses him of drugging her until she was unable to stand or walk without assistance. The lawsuit also claims he filmed the attack and distributed the footage throughout New York state without her consent.

The lawsuits against Combs came just before the Friday deadline for the Adult Survivors Act, a New York law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for sexual assault victims. Multiple music industry and Hollywood figures, including rock star Axl Rose, actors Jamie Foxx and Cuba Gooding Jr., ex-Grammys CEO Neil Portnow, former Arista and Epic Records chief L.A. Reid and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler have been accused of wrongdoing in court filings.

In a lawsuit last week that started the wave of legal issues for Combs, singer Cassie accused him of rape, sexual assault, sex trafficking, physical abuse, and plying her with drugs and alcohol over the course of their longtime romantic relationship. The two reached a settlement the following day.

At the time of Ventura's filing, Diddy's lawyer, Ben Brafman, said in a statement to the L.A. Times that Combs "vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations" and accused Ventura of being "persistent" in demanding more than US$30mil from the musician for the last six months. - Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service