UPDATED Feb. 27, 11:28 a.m. ET: TMZ has released statements from Stevie J and Justin Combs denying the allegations.
"These allegations are false and my lawyer will be handling this going forward," Stevie J told TMZ.
"Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family," a rep told TMZ.
See original story below.
A former employee of Sean “Diddy” Combs alleges he sexually assaulted him.
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Rodney Jones, a former producer and videographer for Diddy, claims that he was sexually assaulted several times by Combs and was subject to unwanted advances by his associates at his direction.
The lawsuit was filed on Monday with the Federal District Court in Manhattan, according to the New York Times.
Jones, also known as “Lil Rod,” lived and traveled with Combs from September 2022 to November 2023 while working on Diddy’s The Love Album: Off the Grid, the NY Times reports.
Jones alleges that Diddy would grope his genitals, touch his anus, and appear naked in front of him, per TMZ. The producer says he believes Diddy was attempting to groom him into having sex and would downplay the alleged assaults as “horseplay.”
Other claims Jones made in the lawsuit include an incident where Diddy allegedly forced him to watch Stevie J, 52, have sex with another man. Screenshots of the video were reportedly included in the suit.
Another allegation involves a female cousin of Diddy’s girlfriend, Yung Miami, 30, who Jones claims sexually assaulted him and attempted to have sex with him in front of Diddy and other members of his staff.
Jones also alleges that he was forced to drink shots of tequila laced with drugs during a listening party in July 2023 held at Diddy’s home, per the NY Times. However, the complaint doesn’t specify who offered him the shots nor how he was forced to consume them. Jones claims that he woke up “at 4 a.m.” the next morning naked with a sex worker sleeping next to him.
Another troubling claim from Jones is that underage girls were brought to Diddy’s residence by Stevie J and his son Justin Combs, 30, where they were allegedly provided with alcohol.
Jones’ suit details an incident where Diddy offered him money and threatened him with violence to “solicit sex workers and perform sex acts to the pleasure of Mr. Combs.”
Jones also claims Diddy introduced him to Cuba Gooding Jr. on a yacht, where he was allegedly inappropriately touched by the actor.
In addition to Diddy, Justin Combs is also named in the 73-page lawsuit, as well as a number of record executives. Jones is seeking $30 million in damages.
Earlier this month, Jones launched a GoFundMe titled, “Help Me Sue Sean "Diddy" Combs” after he was reportedly not properly compensated for his work as a producer on The Love Album, as reported by the New York Times. As of publishing time, the crowdfunding campaign only raised $1,456 out of the $50,000 goal.
In a statement to TMZ, Diddy’s attorney Shawn Holley slammed the allegations, writing, “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines."
He continued, “We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”
Diddy’s recent wave of sexual assault lawsuits began last November when his former girlfriend, Cassie, or Cassandra Ventura, filed a lawsuit against him for rape, sex trafficking, and abuse. The matter was settled one day after the suit was filed for an undisclosed amount.
