Diddy Hit with $60M Lawsuit from ‘Making the Band’ Singer
Diddy is facing a wave of new lawsuits following the closure of a legal window under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Act on Friday (February 28). Among those taking legal action is singer Sara Rivers, a former contestant on his TV show Making the Band.
Rivers is suing Diddy, along with several executives and companies, and is seeking at least $60 million in damages. According to her complaint, filed in federal court in New York and reviewed by HipHopDX, she claims the experience caused her “extreme emotional distress impacting nearly every aspect of Plaintiff’s life and personal relationships.”
Her lawsuit describes what she calls “inhumane” treatment during the show’s filming, including having her eating and sleeping schedule controlled, being forced to share a room with four men despite being married, and being made to do unpaid manual labor. She also says she was mocked for her appearance. Additionally, Rivers alleges that Diddy sabotaged her music career for years after the show by interfering with multiple record deals.
The lawsuit also accuses Diddy of sexual harassment and assault. It describes an alleged incident where “Diddy used his left hand to adjust collar of her jacket and then ran his left hand across her breasts, while repeating the phrase if she needs anything to let him know.”
Diddy’s legal team responded to the lawsuit with a strong denial.
“This is yet another example of false claims being filed against Mr. Combs,” they wrote. “No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor. We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason. With the deadline for New York’s Gender-Motivated Violence Act expiring tomorrow, it’s clear that opportunists are rushing to file last-minute, meritless claims. Mr. Combs remains confident he will prevail in court.”
Rivers’ attorney in the case is Ariel Mitchell—one of the individuals Diddy sued for defamation in January, seeking $50 million in damages.
That lawsuit also names grand jury witness Courtney Burgess and media conglomerate Nexstar, the parent company of NewsNation. It alleges that they intentionally spread false accusations about Diddy.
Burgess had previously claimed in interviews that he possessed videos of Diddy committing sexual assault against celebrities, including minors. He also alleged that Kim Porter, Diddy’s late former partner, had given him a copy of her memoir and videos of the music mogul assaulting celebrities and children.
