Lawyer Tells Us Raids On Diddy's Homes Are 'Bad Omen' For More Lawsuits Ahead
The following contains mention of sexual and physical assault.
Sean "Diddy" Combs has had a long history of legal issues. Recently, some particularly damaging allegations came to light after singer Cassie Ventura, who was signed to his Bad Boy Records label, claimed he had sexually and physically assaulted her for years, per The New York Times. Ventura filed a lawsuit that stated Combs started the cycle of abuse when she was 19 years old and continued until she ended their business partnership. After the accusation, Diddy nipped the lawsuit in the bud with a speedy settlement. However, an unnamed woman filed a suit against Combs, which read, "As alleged in the complaint, Defendants preyed on a vulnerable high school teenager as part of a sex trafficking scheme that involved plying her with drugs and alcohol and transporting her by private jet to New York City where she was gang raped by the three individual defendants at Mr. Combs' studio," CNN reported.
On March 25, Combs' Los Angeles and Miami homes were raided by Homeland Security, per Newsweek. It's unclear if the rapper was present at any of his properties, but his sons Justin and King were spotted in handcuffs outside of the L.A. location. The investigation is believed to be linked to the sex trafficking accusation, but what can we learn from this shocking turn of events? Lawyer Chambord Benton-Hayes of Benton Employment Law exclusively told Nicki Swift that the raid spells big trouble for Diddy.
Diddy is under serious investigation by Homeland Security
The raiding of Sean "Diddy" Combs' properties is not to be taken lightly. "The Department of Homeland Security must have spent a significant amount of time investigating this case before launching such massive raids on Diddy's properties. The fact that it has gotten to this point is a bad omen for Diddy, even though he is innocent until proven guilty," Chambord Benton-Hayes shared with Nicki Swift.
She pointed out that Homeland Security looks into human trafficking and crimes against minors. "Considering one woman has sued Diddy and accused him of sex trafficking and raping her when she was 17 years old, the involvement of DHS could indicate that federal investigators are looking into that woman's allegations for evidence of a crime, or that they have other individuals who are telling them something similar," Benton-Hayes continued.
The lawyer told us that she foresees more lawsuits against Combs, similar to the wave of incidents coming to light after Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein's cases. "It often takes victims of sexual abuse or harassment a lot of time to gather their courage to sue powerful people. After one victim sues, it often opens the floodgates for others," Benton-Hayes stated. Although Cassie Ventura settled her suit against Diddy, the San Francisco-based litigator predicted that things might not be over for the singer in relation to her former alleged abuser.
The DHS might probe into Cassie Ventura's history with Diddy
Cassie Ventura, who broke up with Sean "Diddy" Combs in 2018, can't put her past behind her just yet. Lawyer Chambord Benton-Hayes shared with Nicki Swift, "The criminal case may bring to light exactly what Cassie Ventura experienced, because even though her attorneys reached a settlement with Diddy and Bad Boy, she cannot waive her right and her obligation to speak to criminal investigators." According to the lawyer, common investigation practices begin with speaking to a known witness and then moving on to other witnesses and/or victims from there. "Some individuals will be unwilling to talk, others will be all too willing to talk," Chambord-Hayes stated.
It seems Ventura is all for talking. In a new statement shared by ABC News, she wrote, "We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct."
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.