Sean “Diddy” Combs is leaning heavily on a recent legal decision involving the Alexander brothers—prominent Miami real estate figures accused of sex trafficking—to fend off several lawsuits, including a sexual assault claim filed by model Crystal McKinney.
The ruling, handed down by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan, could provide a pivotal lifeline for the Hip-Hop mogul as he battles to dismiss allegations tied to events stretching back decades.
The Alexander brothers—Oren, Alon, and Tal—are embroiled in a firestorm of accusations alleging they drugged, assaulted, and trafficked women for over a decade.
Arrested in December 2024 on federal sex trafficking charges, the brothers allegedly used their high-profile real estate careers to lure victims with promises of luxury and opportunity, only to drug and assault them.
Prosecutors claim the brothers relied on substances such as GHB, cocaine, and psychedelic mushrooms to incapacitate their victims.
As of late 2024, over 30 women have stepped forward with accusations against the trio, who are locked up in the same Brooklyn jail as Diddy.
One civil lawsuit against the brothers, brought by Angelica Parker and dismissed by Judge Kaplan last week, hinged on the New York City Gender-Motivated Violence Act (VGM).
Kaplan ruled that the VGM’s revival window was preempted by broader state laws, including the Adult Survivors Act (ASA), which had its own stricter statute of limitations.
While Kaplan’s decision did not address the validity of Parker’s allegations, it deemed her claim time-barred—a legal technicality Diddy’s lawyers are now looking to take advantage of.
Diddy’s legal team wasted no time referencing the Alexander case in their bid to dismiss McKinney’s lawsuit.
Filed in May 2024, McKinney’s suit alleges that in 2003, Diddy drugged and sexually assaulted her at his New York City studio when she was a 22-year-old model.
McKinney claims Diddy laced a marijuana joint with an unknown substance, pressured her to consume more alcohol and drugs, and ultimately assaulted her in a studio bathroom.
McKinney has alleged that the assault derailed her modeling career and caused lasting emotional trauma, including severe depression and a suicide attempt.
“McKinney is a woman of faith and when she saw news coverage of the lawsuits from Ms. Cassie Ventura, Ms. Dickerson-Neal, and others, she knew she had a moral obligation to speak up,” her lawyer, Michelle A. Caiola explained. “[McKinney] prayed to God before bringing this lawsuit, as she feared further violence and/or retaliation from Combs, but ultimately decided that she needed to speak her truth.”
However, in a letter filed on Monday (January 27), Diddy’s attorney Erica A. Wolff highlighted Kaplan’s ruling, arguing that McKinney’s claim under the VGM is also time-barred.
“The Parker decision further supports granting [Diddy’s] pending Motion to Dismiss in the instant case,” Wolff stated.
While Kaplan’s ruling in the Alexander case was rooted in procedural issues rather than the substance of the allegations, Diddy’s team is banking on the decision to bolster their arguments.
Kaplan determined that the VGM’s revival window conflicted with state-level statutes, such as the ASA, which included a one-year window for survivors to file claims between November 2022 and November 2023.
McKinney, like Parker, filed her suit outside of this window.
Diddy’s legal team is holding their breath that Kaplan’s decision becomes a cornerstone of their defense, potentially clearing him of McKinney’s allegations and over two dozen similar lawsuits.