Diddy and Cassie have reached a settlement one day after the singer filed a lawsuit against him, accusing the music mogul of rape, sex trafficking, domestic violence and more in New York.
On Friday, Diddy and Cassie announced they resolved the claims in the lawsuit to their “mutual satisfaction,” they said. The parties added that there will be no further details about the terms of the agreement released publicly.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” Ventura said in a statement. “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.”
Her attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said, “I am very proud of Ms. Ventura for having the strength to go public with her lawsuit. She ought to be commended for doing so.”
Combs added, “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.”
Diddy and Cassie met in 2005, when she was 19 years old and he was 37. He then signed her to his label Bad Boy Records, and the two later began dating.
In her lawsuit, Ventura had claimed she was stuck in a decade-long “cycle of abuse, violence and sex trafficking.”
“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,” she said in a statement at the time of filing.
“With the expiration of New York’s Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life.”
“All aspects of Ms. Ventura’s life were controlled by either Mr. Combs or his management companies,” Thursday’s complaint filed in New York read.
Ventura had also alleged that she would receive beatings from Combs that were so severe that he would hide her at “hotels for days at a time to let her bruises heal.”
She had also alleged that during her time with Combs, he would also force her to engage in encounters with sex workers that he called “freak offs,” or “FOs,” and that these instances “always” included ecstasy, cocaine, GHB, ketamine, marijuana and alcohol.
Combs’ lawyer Ben Brafman had denied Ventura’s allegations.
“Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. Ms. Ventura’s demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail,” Brafman said.
“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’ reputation, and seeking a pay day.”
Wigdor refuted those claims, adding, “Mr. Combs offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit. She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all women who suffer in silence. Ms. Ventura should be applauded for her bravery.”