Rapper and mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been served another lawsuit alleging sexual assault, the seventh such complaint he has faced in recent months.
April Lampros alleges that Combs sexually assaulted her on four occasions between 1995 and about 2000, including one incident in which she was forced to take ecstasy by Combs. She also alleges she “was told that Mr Combs apparently recorded them having sex without her knowing and showed it to multiple people”.
Lampros says she met Combs when she was a fashion student, and that after she attempted to distance herself from Combs following a second alleged assault, he threatened her with physical violence and said he would have her blacklisted in the fashion industry.
She said in a statement: “I’m confident that justice will prevail and the veil will be removed so no other woman will have to endure what I did.”
Combs has not commented on the lawsuit but has previously denied other allegations of sexual assault. The Guardian has contacted his representatives for comment.
Combs has faced a series of similar lawsuits in recent months, enabled by New York legislation that allows alleged sexual assault victims to file civil complaints after the statute of limitations has passed – meaning that Combs can be liable for incidents dating back to the 1990s.
In November his ex-girlfriend Cassie alleged “a cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking” over the course of more than a decade until 2018. Combs “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations”, his lawyer said, and the lawsuit was settled the next day. Earlier this month footage of Combs physically assaulting Cassie was made public, with Combs apologising afterwards, saying “I take full responsibility … I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.” Cassie issued her own statement after the apology, writing in part: “My only ask is that everyone open your heart to believing victims the first time.”
Three more lawsuits followed Cassie’s in the remainder of 2023, including an allegation that Combs raped a woman when she was 17 years old. Following those allegations Combs said: “I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
In February, music producer Rodney Jones Jr alleged that Combs sexually assaulted him, with a lawyer for Combs calling the allegations “pure fiction”. In March, federal agents raided Combs’ properties in Los Angeles and Miami as part of a sex-trafficking investigation, described by Combs’ lawyer as a “gross overuse of military-level force”. Combs has not been charged with any crime by federal authorities.
Earlier this week, former model Crystal McKinney alleged that Combs forced her to perform oral sex on him in a 2003 incident. Combs has not yet commented on that lawsuit.