A woman who says she “felt a moral obligation to speak up” after a series of abuse allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs has sued the hip-hop mogul, accusing him of drugging and sexually assaulting her more than two decades ago.
Crystal McKinney alleged in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in New York City that she was assaulted at the rapper’s New York City studio in 2003.
Combs is the subject of a series of lawsuits from others who have accused him of sexual and physical abuse, gang rape and “serious illegal activities.” McKinney filed her suit days after a video of Combs hitting his ex-girlfriend Cassie was made public during a 2016 attack that she described in a lawsuit that has since been settled.
Representatives for Combs, 54, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
Combs uploaded an apology to social media over the weekend, calling his behavior in the video “inexcusable” and saying he was going through a difficult time in his life when the attack happened. He said he sought therapy and soon after went to rehab and worked on “becoming a better man.”
He has previously denied all allegations of abuse and wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.
McKinney, a 22-year-old model at the time of the alleged assault, met Combs at a Men’s Fashion Week event at Cipriani Downtown in Manhattan, and Combs said she would “make it big one day” as a model. and promised he would help her career, she said in the suit.
Combs invited her to his studio, where one of his employees offered her a joint of marijuana and said, “You’ve never had weed like this before,” according to the lawsuit.
“Plaintiff later discovered that Combs had laced the joint with a narcotic or other intoxicant,” it alleges.
Combs pressured McKinney to smoke and drink more alcohol even though she was seriously intoxicated, the complaint alleges.
“When Combs saw that the plaintiff was very intoxicated, he demanded that the plaintiff follow him and physically led the plaintiff to the restroom,” the lawsuit said. Combs then forced her to perform a sex act, she claims in the lawsuit.
McKinney’s attorneys declined to comment Tuesday.
McKinney said in her lawsuit that she was dazed after the alleged bathroom assault and passed out in Combs’ studio. She woke up in a taxi and realized she had been sexually assaulted, she claims in the suit, which also said she had kept the clothes she wore that night in a plastic bag.
McKinney said in the lawsuit that after the alleged assault, her modeling opportunities dried up and that she believes Combs “blackballed” her.
McKinney “became severely depressed as she began blaming herself for the attack and sabotaging her own career,” the lawsuit said. According to the complaint, she even feared retaliation from Combs.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for pain and suffering, as well as punitive damages.
The suit is named Combs, as are Bad Boy Records and Bad Boy Entertainment, Sean John Clothing and Universal Music Group.
Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is not related to NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News.
McKinney’s is the seventh lawsuit filed in recent months against Combs, known for his music career and founding Bad Boy Records, as well as TV shows like “Making the Band” and film appearances.
Ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura sued Combs in November for rape and abuse during their relationship, including punching, punching and kicking. A settlement was reached the next day.
The remaining lawsuits are still pending.
Combs is the subject of a federal criminal investigation and agents searched his property this spring.
A source familiar with the investigation said in March that federal officials had interviewed three women and a man in Manhattan in connection with allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault and soliciting and distributing illegal narcotics and firearms.
Federal agents searched Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami. Three sources familiar with the case said firearms were found at his residences, but no additional details were provided.
Aaron Dyer, one of Combs’ attorneys, said in a statement after the searches that Combs “was never detained, but spoke with authorities and cooperated.” He described the searches as an ambush and said there was a rush to judgment based on “meritless allegations in civil lawsuits.”
“No criminal or civil liability has been established for any of these allegations,” Dyer said. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every day to clear his name.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
