Since P. Diddy’s arrest in September, he’s remained behind bars at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. The 55-year-old, whose real name is Sean Combs, is facing multiple federal charges but, on top of that, he’s also at the center of numerous lawsuits that his legal team has sought to address. One of those suits came from music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones, who worked with Diddy a few years ago, sued him for alleged sexual harassment and more. Now, ahead of his trial, Combs has been handed a victory of sorts in that case.
Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones’ lawsuit named several defendants, including Sean Combs’ former chief of staff, Kristina Khorram (who’s spoken out), former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam and Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge. Combs’ adult son, Justin, was named in the suit as well. Jones claimed that while he was working on Combs’ love album between September 2022 and November 2023, he was drugged, sexually harassed and threatened. He also specifically accused Combs of sexually assaulting him.
It would seem that a number of the claims that Lil Rod leveled against Diddy have been dismissed. That decision came down from a New York judge, as reported by People, which obtained the legal documents. J. Paul Oetken reportedly denied Rod’s RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) allegation, because he couldn’t substantiate a link between Combs and the alleged racketeering practices of his business. Rod’s lack of payment for his work on the album also factored in. Judge Oetken, in part, wrote this:
The Court cannot identify any such causal link. Defendants' alleged sex, drug, and gun trafficking activities ... did not forseeably or naturally preclude Defendants from honoring their recording contract with Jones.
Judge Oetken also dismissed Rodney Jones’ TVPA (Trafficking Victims Protection Act) claim against Combs Global. His allegation of negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress against P. Diddy was also dismissed, because Jones didn’t “adequately plead” that he’d experienced such distress. Jones’ breach of contract claims – regarding his alleged lack of payment – were also cleared from the docket. That was due to New York's statute of frauds stipulating that any contract that can’t be performed within a year is only enforceable if it’s in writing.
Despite these dismissals, several accusations remain in play. Lil Rod’s allegation of a TVPA violation against Sean Combs and Kristina Khorram was not thrown out, since the producer’s suit details several purported incidents. The sexual assault claims against Combs were also not dismissed, as they were “were "sufficient to state a plausible claim." The premises liability claim, in regard to Rod allegedly being sexually assaulted multiple times on Diddy’s properties, remains intact as well, because “Combs had both possession and control of the premises.”
Puff Daddy’s arrest last fall was preceded by raids on his homes in the U.S., during which the feds obtained documents, electronic devices and multiple bottles of lubricant. He’s since been charged with sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, arson and the aforementioned racketeering. Diddy, who’s denied wrongdoing, is set to remain in jail (alongside Luigi Mangione and others) until his trial begins on May 5.
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