The American music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs was sued Thursday for rape, abuse and beating his former romantic partner, singer Cassie.
Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, alleged in a civil lawsuit filed in New York federal court that Combs brought her into his "ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle" not long after she met him.
Combs and Ventura began dating in 2007 and had an on-and-off relationship for over a decade.
Combs, one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the last three decades, signed Ventura to his label in 2005 when she was 19. He was 37.
"After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships," Ventura said in a statement.
Cassie accuses Diddy of rape, abuse
The lawsuit alleges that Combs was "prone to uncontrollable rage" and subjected her to "savage" beatings in which he punched, kicked and stomped on her.
It alleges he plied her with drugs and forced her to have sex with other men while he masturbated and filmed them.
The suit says that as she was trying to end the relationship in 2018, Combs forced her into her Los Angeles home and raped her.
Combs "vehemently denies" the allegations, his lawyer, Ben Brafman, said in a statement.
"For the past six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura's persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail," Brafman said in a statement. "Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs's reputation and seeking a payday."
Cassie shot to fame with her hit single "Me & U," which secured the top spot on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 2006. She has appeared in several film projects, including "Step Up 2: The Streets" and "Spenser Confidential."
Combs is the founder of Bad Boy Records and a three-time Grammy winner who has worked with a slew of famous artists, including Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher and Lil Kim.
Forbes estimated his net worth at $1 billion as recently as last year.