Sean “Diddy” Combs.Photo:Steve Granitz/WireImage
Steve Granitz/WireImage
On Monday, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, a former producer and videographer for the music mogul, 54, filed a lawsuit in New York federal court alleging that for more than a year, Combs sexually harassed, drugged and threatened him.
Jones is seeking $30 million in damages.
The former employee said that while working on the project, he lived with the Bad Boy founder in various U.S. cities, and would also vacation with Combs outside of the country. Jones claims that during this time, he “witnessed, experienced, and endured many things that went far beyond his role as a producer on the Love album.”
Combs’ adult son,Justin; his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam are also named as defendants in the 73-page lawsuit.
Sean “Diddy” Combs.Paras Griffin/Getty
Paras Griffin/Getty
Jones alleges that due to his role as a videographer, he was “required” to “constantly” record the “Last Night” artist.
“As a result, Mr. Jones has secured HUNDREDS of hours of footage and audio recordings of Mr. Combs, his staff, and his guests engaging in serious illegal activity,” the court document states.
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The former employee also claims that at one point, he was asked to work in Combs’ bathroom and the music executive “walked around naked and showered in a clear glass enclosure,” making Jones feel uncomfortable.
Jones alleges he expressed his concerns to Khorram, and she dismissed the “groping of Mr. Jones' anus and genitals as friendly horseplay.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs.John Shearer/Getty
Jones also alleges in his suit that Combs showed him a recording of American DJ, record producer, and television personalityStevie Jhaving anal intercourse with a man.
According to the plaintiff, Combs knew Jones “looked up to, and idolized” Stevie J and used the recording as a way to solicit him. “This is a normal practice in the music industry, look even Stevie J is doing it,” Combs reportedly told his then-employee.
Jones also alleges that on Thanksgiving Day in 2022, the female cousin of Combs’ girlfriend at the time,Yung Miami, sexually assaulted him as well “in the presence of Mr. Combs and his staff.”
Jones alleged that Combs brought prostitutes into his Miami house and said on one occasion he was drugged and possibly raped.
In addition to the alleged use of various drugs, Jones claims to have footage of “Mr. Combs providing laced alcoholic beverages to minors and sex workers at his homes in California, New York, the U. S. Virgin Islands, and Florida.”
“Litigation should never be the first option for a dispute. We filed because of the refusal to negotiate on the other side,” Jones’ attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn told PEOPLE.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Shawn Holley, Combs' lawyer wrote: “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them."
A rep for Justin Combstold TMZ, “Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family.”
source: people.com
