Pop star Dawn Richard waited years to tell her story of how Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs allegedly abused her while she was a member of the girl group Danity Kane.
In the last episode of DailyMail.com Podcast ‘The Trial of Diddy’Richard’s attorney, Lisa Bloom, said the singer decided to file a lawsuit against Combs after seeing the viral video of the music producer attacking his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
“She’s an accomplished woman and she loves music,” Bloom said of Richard. ‘All he wants to do is make music and be a musician. And yet, he found himself in the position, after Cassie Ventura came forward, of saying, “I need to come forward too, in support of Cassie and others, to tell my own story.”
Richard claims in his lawsuit that he suffered economic damages, physical injuries, pain and suffering, and severe psychological and emotional distress during his years working for the Bad Boy mogul.
Former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard (right) is ready to tell her story of alleged abuse at the hands of her former boss Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, her lawyer Lisa Bloom said.
Lisa Bloom has represented victims of sexual assault against numerous high-profile figures, including Jeffrey Epstein.
Combs was indicted on charges including sex trafficking in September, months after video footage surfaced of him violently assaulting Ventura.
In her lawsuit, Richard claims that not only did she witness her former boss assault Ventura, but she was also subjected to Diddy grabbing and touching her bare buttocks and breast area while in her dressing room.
She also said Combs demanded she strip down to her underwear, while calling her “baggy, fat, ugly and skinny” in front of other people, including other producers, bodyguards and his friends.
The singer also claimed that Combs made sexual advances toward her during an October 2010 trip to perform in Glasgow, Scotland.
Richard accused Combs of manipulating her for years with promises that he would boost her music career.
Instead, the Bad Boy mogul allegedly did not pay Richard for his work and was allegedly prevented from eating and sleeping due to the grueling scheduled work the producer allegedly imposed on him.
Richard appeared on the MTV reality series. Making the band in 2005
Combs has denied the allegations.
The producer’s representatives said Richard was “making an attempt to rewrite history” and fabricated “a series of false claims, all in hopes of getting a payday, conveniently timed to coincide with the release of his album and tour.” press”.
Combs’ striving for perfection was highlighted on the MTV reality show Making the band in 2005, where Richard became a member of Danity Kane along with Aubrey O’Day, D. Woods, Shannon Bex and Aundrea Fimbres.
Combs fired all the women in the band except Richard. He then formed Diddy Dirty Money in 2010 with Richard and Kelenna Harper, but that group disbanded two years later.
Combs with the members of Danity Kane. Former member Abrey O’Day (pictured alongside Diddy) also spoke about the Combs’ infamous temper.
Bloom said Combs is still continuing his threatening tactics and pointed to prosecutors’ claims that the Bad Boy mogul had recently attempted to contact Harper, who is one of the witnesses in Richard’s case.
Prosecutors said they recovered evidence that Combs had repeatedly attempted to contact Harper, who was referred to as ‘Witness 2′ in court documents, during a sweep of Combs’ cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Prosecutors said among notes found in his cell was a “strong inference” that Combs allegedly paid Harper after she posted a statement on Instagram.
Bloom said he was surprised that Combs approached one of the witnesses in his client’s case against him.
Singers Dawn Richard (left), Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (center) and Kalenna Harper (right) of the band Diddy Dirty Money accept the award for Best Group onstage during the BET Awards on June 26, 2011 in Los Angeles , California. Federal prosecutors have alleged that Diddy has “tampered” with witnesses, including Harper.
Prosecutors also alleged that Diddy obtained other inmates’ phone codes and used them to allegedly influence witnesses.
“I was surprised,” Bloom said on the ‘Trial of Diddy’ podcast.
He added: “I think he was probably getting desperate.” …He’s used to telling people what to do. He is used to making all the decisions. So if you approach (Harper), you know, it would take a psychologist to explain that kind of thinking. But yeah, it was pretty shocking.”
Lisa Bloom said she was surprised that Diddy tried to contact witnesses. Combs’ attorneys have denied the allegations.
Diddy Dirty Money dissolved in 2012. Richard said he is owed money that the Bad Boy mogul never paid him.
Combs’ lawyers fired back at prosecutors, accusing the government of committing an “egregious, deliberate and harmful violation of attorney-client privilege” after documents were seized from his cell.
Bloom said he hopes to testify Combs.
“One of the biggest moments will be when I get to take Sean Combs’ statement, which will probably be in prison, and I’m very happy to go take his statement in prison,” the attorney said. ‘I’ve been in prison many times for various cases, so it doesn’t bother me or scare me. And we’ll see what it says about Dawn and we’ll see what her story is.
‘We will see if it matches the documents, information and other witnesses. We’ll see what he has to say for himself.