Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is being sued by a former model who claims he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2003. Crystal McKinney (pictured right) filed a lawsuit against the rapper, 54 — who is currently facing a [sexual intercourse] trafficking probe and multiple other sexual misconduct lawsuits — alleging that she was assaulted at his studio, as per TMZ.
McKinney says she was 22 when she was invited to a Men’s Fashion Week event at Cipriani Downtown in New York City, where she met Diddy, who then asked her to go back to his studio. After they arrived, Diddy and several of his friends were drinking Hennessy and smoking joints. Crystal claims that when she took a hit from one of the ‘very powerful’ joints, she felt as if she was floating, and believes it was laced with another drug.
McKinney claims Diddy then demanded that she come with him to the bathroom, where she alleges he forced her to perform [a sexual act] on him. McKinney says while in the bathroom Diddy began kissing her and then shoved her head down to his crotch before telling her to ‘suck it.’ When she refused, she claims he pushed her head down and forced [the sexual act]. Afterwards she began to walk away but felt dizzy and at some point lost consciousness.
McKinney says she then woke up in a taxi, and realized she had been sexually assaulted. It’s not clear whether she is referencing the alleged incident in the bathroom, or another sexual assault that could have occurred while she was passed out. McKinney says she was then blackballed from the modeling industry, and went into a severe depression before attempting to commit [self-murder] in 2004.
Crystal also states that after seeing Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and other women file lawsuits against the disgraced hip hop mogul she ‘knew she had a moral obligation to speak up.’ She is seeking unspecified damages. Diddy is currently involved in an ongoing federal [sexual intercourse] trafficking investigation in addition to multiple lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct. On Sunday Diddy broke his silence after shocking video of him beating up his former girlfriend Cassie surfaced last week.
He took to Instagram to apologize, saying: ‘I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses.’ Looking into the camera, Diddy said: ‘So difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, sometimes you got to do that. I was [Expletive] up. I mean I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses, my behavior in that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video, I’m disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it, I am disgusted now. I went and I sought out professional help, I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. Had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry. But I am committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness, I’m truly sorry.’
Sources said Diddy went to rehab following the 2016 incident and continues to seek both therapy and spiritual work. The shocking surveillance footage of Diddy violently attacking his ex-girlfriend in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 emerged last week. The video, obtained by CNN, shows the rapper shirtless with a towel wrapped around his waist, chasing Cassie down the hall at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City. As she tried to get into an elevator, he grabbed her by the back of the head and slammed her to the ground. He then kicked her as she lay on the floor motionless, before grabbing the two designer bags she’d tried to escape with. Diddy stood over her, kicked her again, and then dragged her back to their room by the hoodie. Cassie claimed in a since-settled lawsuit that Diddy had paid the same hotel $50,000 for the footage after the attack.
Speaking on Sunday, Cassie’s attorney Meredith Firetog, said: ‘Combs’ most recent statement is more about himself than the many people he has hurt. When Cassie and multiple other women came forward, he denied everything and suggested that his victims were looking for a payday. That he was only compelled to “apologize” once his repeated denials were proven false shows his pathetic desperation, and no one will be swayed by his disingenuous words.’