R&B singer Cassie reached a settlement with her ex-boyfriend and hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs just one day after she accused him of sexual abuse and rape in a bombshell lawsuit filed in New York.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” Cassie — whose legal name is Casandra Ventura — said in a statement. “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.”
Combs echoed the sentiment in a statement of his own late Friday night, wishing Cassie “all the best” and “love.” Both parties said they would not offer further comment on the matter and the terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Ventura’s attorney Douglas Wigdor would confirm only that the pair had reached a deal “to their mutual satisfaction.”
In a federal lawsuit filed Thursday, Ventura claimed the 54-year-old Combs raped her and subjected her to years of repeated physical and mental abuse. She said they began a sexual and professional relationship shortly after they met in 2005, when she was 19 and he was 37. After she signed to his label, Diddy introduced her to his “ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle,” she said.
Combs, a three-time Grammy Award winner and the founder of Bad Boy Records, has carved out a spot as one of the most influential producers and executives in the hip-hop industry. He has worked with no shortage of top-tier artists, among them the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil’ Kim, Faith Evans and 112. Just this year, he released his fifth studio album, “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” which earned two Grammy nominations this month.
It was his first studio album in 17 years.
According to Ventura’s suit, the prolific music producer quickly took control of her personal life, threatening her career and loved ones as a means to maintain his influence over her. Ventura further claimed Diddy forced her to engage in various sex acts with male sex workers. He also plied her with drugs and recorded some of the encounters, the songstress alleged.
“Prone to uncontrollable rage,” Combs additionally subjected Ventura to “savage” beatings in which he punched, kicked and stomped on her, according to the lawsuit.
In 2018, Ventura said, she attempted to end their relationship, at which point Combs allegedly raped her in her Los Angeles home.
“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,” Ventura said in a statement issued after the filing.
Ben Brafman, an attorney for Combs, did not immediately respond to request for comment upon the announced settlement. On Thursday, he said that Combs “vehemently denies” the allegations.
Brafman additionally claimed that Ventura for months had been badgering Combs for $30 million while threatening to write a damaging book about their relationship.
Wigdor responded, saying Combs had offered Ventura “eight figures to silence her” and prevent the lawsuit from being filed. Instead, she rejected the money and “decided to give a voice to all women who suffer in silence,” he said.
“I am very proud of Ms. Ventura for having the strength to go public with her lawsuit,” Wigdor added in a statement late Friday. “She ought to be commended for doing so.”
Ventura first shot to fame with her hit single “Me & U,” which claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart in 2006. She has also acted in several projects including Fox’s “Empire,” “Step Up 2:The Streets” and “Spenser Confidential.”
With News Wire Services
