EXCLUSIVE: Diddy Makes Power Move Against Dawn Richard Days Before Testimony
Diddy is trying to shut down Dawn Richard’s $3.5 million civil lawsuit just as she prepares to return to the stand in his federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial.
In a motion filed ahead of Richard’s testimony, which began Friday (May 16) and is expected to continue Monday (May 19), Diddy and his legal team asked a New York judge to toss her lawsuit entirely.
His attorneys argue that Richard’s claims—ranging from sexual assault to forced labor—are legally stale and lack the necessary detail to move forward.
“Dawn Richard seeks to transform narratives of alleged injuries against others into a headline-grabbing sex trafficking conspiracy as to her,” Diddy’s attorney Erica A. Wolff wrote in the filing. “But [Richard] does not claim she engaged in sex with anyone, much less that she was trafficked or compelled to do so.”
Diddy’s lawyers contend that most of Richard’s allegations are barred by New York’s statute of limitations and that she’s attempting to revive old claims under laws that don’t apply to her situation.
They also say she signed contracts, preventing her from suing over some of the issues she raised.
“However challenging her career path may have been, there is no legal basis to hold every music industry player whose path she crossed liable to her for it,” Wolff added. “The allegations in the FAC fail to allege any timely and cognizable injuries as to Richard.”
Richard, a former member of Danity Kane, filed the lawsuit in September 2024, accusing Diddy of nearly a decade of sexual and physical abuse.
She claims he groped her, slapped her, and held business meetings in his underwear. Richard also alleges he deprived her of food and sleep during recording sessions, leading to health issues including anemia and joint pain.
The suit also accuses Diddy of withholding payments, with Richard seeking $3.5 million in unpaid wages and royalties.
She says he manipulated her into thinking compliance with his demands was necessary for her career and retaliated when she pushed back. Richard also claims she witnessed Diddy physically assault Cassie Ventura when he hit her on the head with a skillet filled with eggs.
The lawsuit further alleges that Combs hosted parties where intoxicated underage girls were sexually exploited and that Richard saw him and others using illegal drugs and engaging in sexual acts with minors.
Diddy’s legal team denies all allegations and accuses Richard of using the lawsuit to promote her music and media appearances.