Diddy’s Bad Boy Records label and one of his former executives are reportedly facing a newly filed sexual assault lawsuit. The suit comes less than a week after Diddy settled a lawsuit with ex-girlfriend/R&B singer Cassie Ventura.
According to Rolling Stone, an anonymous ex-assistant of former Bad Boy president Harve Pierre has accused him of grooming and sexually assaulting her. Pierre went to college with Diddy at Howard University and worked at Bad Boy in the early ’90s for a stint. After leaving for a few years, he eventually returned to Bad Boy, where he served as president until 2017.
A former president of Bad Boy Entertainment has been sued for sexual assault by his ex-assistant, while the company itself was also sued for negligence.
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) November 22, 2023
Story: https://t.co/Xu3MF8AmQm pic.twitter.com/ScR1UdePbJ
The court docs allege Pierre “used his position of authority as [her] boss to groom, exploit, and sexually assault her.” The complaint, which was filed in New York County Supreme Courts by a “Jane Doe,” also alleges Pierre perpetrated crimes against her “on multiple occasions in New York City and other locations throughout the country.”
The plaintiff alleges between the years of 2016 and 2017 Pierre sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions, which caused the anonymous assistant to suffer physical, emotional and psychological injuries, pain and suffering.
“Pierre used his position of authority as plaintiff’s boss to groom, exploit, and sexually assault her,” the filing alleges. “Pierre engaged in a year-long pattern of grooming plaintiff, leading to sexual harassment of plaintiff, and sexual assault.”
Bad Boy Entertainment, Bad Boy Records and Combs Enterprises are named as co-defendants in the lawsuit. A spokesperson for Bad Boy provided a statement saying the company was in the process of investigating the claims internally.
“We have recently become aware of a lawsuit filed in New York by a former employee,” the spokesperson said. “The allegations are from many years ago that were never brought to the attention of the company. Neither the plaintiff nor the executive are current employees of the company. We are now investigating the allegations, and our top priority is the safety and well-being of our employees.”
The lawsuit against Pierre and Bad Boy was filed just before the the Adult Survivors Act expires on November 24. The act provides a one-year window for New York residents to file civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse even after the statute of limitations had passed.