Dawn Richard Alleges Diddy ‘Punched’ Cassie in Front of These Celebs – and No One Intervened

Dawn Richard, Diddy and Cassie (Credit: Shutterstock)

Former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard sued Sean “Diddy” Combs in federal court on Sept. 10, accusing the embattled music mogul of sexual abuse.

Richard filed a 55-page civil complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging verbal abuse, assault, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, sex trafficking, stealing her copyrighted work, and withholding her earnings.

The suit says the singer-songwriter witnessed Combs abuse other women as well, including his late former girlfriend Kim Porter and his then-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura.

Richard lists several incidents in the lawsuit where she alleges Combs terrorized Cassie in front of others.

Related: Dawn Richard of Danity Kane Hits Diddy With Explosive Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

One disturbing incident occurred during a dinner party at a restaurant in West Hollywood, California, in or around late 2009 or early 2010.

According to page 15 of the complaint, Richard and fellow Diddy-Dirty Money bandmate Kalenna Harper were “required to attend” the gathering as Diddy worked to finalize a $50 million deal between Bad Boy and Interscope Records.

Guests at the gathering included then-Interscope CEO Jimmy Iovine, and chart-topping singers Ne-Yo and Usher, the suit says.

At some point during the dinner, Diddy and Cassie began to argue in front of the other guests. “Mr. Combs hissed at Ms. Ventura in a screaming whisper and forcefully punched her in the stomach causing her to double over in visible pain, crying,” the complaint says.

Diddy’s personal assistant Capricorn Clark escorted Cassie out of the restaurant, “while the mogul continued socializing with the dinner guests,” the suit says.

The complaint says Richard tried to intervene over the years, by offering Cassie “support and encouragement to leave Mr. Combs,” but the mogul “learned of her efforts to help Ms. Ventura and became enraged, threatening Ms. Richard’s life with statements such as ‘you want to die today,’ and ‘I make n—as go missing.'”

The lawsuit additionally claims Richard saw Kim Porter exit Diddy’s recording studio with a “lacerated lip.”

“On one occasion in or around 2005, during the first season of Making The Band 3, Ms. Richard observed Mr. Combs’ ex-partner and the mother of three of his children, Kim Porter, leaving Mr. Combs’ recording studio in tears with visible facial injuries including a lacerated lip,” the lawsuit says.

Richard adds from that point on, she felt “deep apprehension and fear that Mr. Combs could one day physically harm her.”

The “Show Stopper” singer is suing the mogul for 21 causes of action and demanding “judgments for compensation, mental pain, restitution, and more.”

She is seeking a jury trial and compensation for compensatory damages, lost wages, royalties, publishing, touring and promotional income, with interest.

In a statement Wednesday, Richard’s attorney Lisa Bloom said: “We will not rest until we achieve full and complete justice for Dawn in this case.”

Combs denied the allegations in the lawsuit through his attorney Erica Wolff.

“Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit. In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour,” Wolff said in a statement Wednesday, Sept. 11, to TMZ.

The mogul has been sued by multiple accusers alleging sexual abuse since November 2023. He settled with Cassie one day after she filed her civil lawsuit.

About Anita Bennett

Anita Bennett is the editor and founder of Urban Hollywood 411.

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