R&B singer Cassie's lawyer responds to federal agents raiding Diddy's homes
Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura is speaking out following news that ex Sean "Diddy" Combs' Los Angeles and Miami homes were raided by federal agents on Monday.
Lawyer Douglas Wigdor, who represents Ventura and the Jane Doe who filed a complaint against Combs in December, issued a statement to "Good Morning America" in the wake of the raids.
"We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law," the statement read. "Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct."
It is unclear if the raid and the December Jane Doe complaint are connected.
Ventura, 37, filed a lawsuit against Combs, 54, on Nov. 16, accusing the rapper and music mogul of sex trafficking and sexual assault. In the court documents, Ventura alleged she was trafficked, raped and beaten by Combs during the course of their relationship, which began when she was 19 and he was 37, as an artist signed to his label, Bad Boy Records.
At the time, Combs' attorney, Ben Brafman, issued a statement saying Combs "vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations."
Ventura's lawsuit was settled a day after she filed. In a statement, she said, "I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control."
Following the settlement, Brafman said in a statement to ABC News that Combs' decision to settle the lawsuit "does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims," adding that he "is happy they got to a mutual settlement" and "wishes Ms. Ventura the best."
Weeks later, on Dec. 6, a Canadian woman identified only as Jane Doe filed a complaint against Combs, claiming she was sex trafficked and gang raped in 2003 when she was 17 and in the 11th grade.
The lawsuit names Combs, former Bad Boy Entertainment president Harve Pierre and an unnamed third defendant, and claims Pierre and the third unnamed defendant approached her at a lounge in Detroit, Michigan, flew her on a private jet to Combs' studio in New York City, where she alleges she was plied with drugs and alcohol, and gang raped by the three defendants.
Combs took to social media on Dec. 6, 2023, to denounce the allegations against him, writing in a post, "Enough is enough."
"Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday," he said. "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."
Pierre’s attorneys also responded to the suit in a case filing and denied the allegations, specifically denying that he used his position of power to groom the plaintiff and denying that he witnessed or participated in a sexual assault of the plaintiff.
On Monday, a Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson said in a statement that the raid on Combs' Los Angeles and Miami properties were executed as part of an "ongoing investigation."
"Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners," the spokesperson said. "We will provide further information as it becomes available."
The searches were carried out at the hip-hop producer's properties as part of a federal investigation led by the Southern District of New York into alleged human trafficking, law enforcement sources familiar with the matter said. No criminal charges have been filed in the investigation.
Law enforcement sources said that while the search warrant was being executed in Los Angeles, Combs' sons were detained outside the home, as is customary in such circumstances, and released without charges.
"GMA" has reached out to Combs' lawyer for comment.
