The day after R&B singer Casandra Ventura filed a widely reported bombshell lawsuit against her former boyfriend, Sean Combs, the case was closed. According to a statement from Ventura’s attorney, the suit—in which Ventura sought damages for an alleged relationship-long pattern of assault and retaliation—has been settled with terms that have not been disclosed.
The lawsuit, which was initially filed in Manhattan’s Federal District Court on Thursday, claimed that after the then-37-year-old music mogul met the then-19-year-old aspiring singer in 2005, he brought her into “an ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle, and into a romantic relationship with him her boss, one of the most powerful men in the entertainment industry, and a vicious, cruel, and controlling man nearly two decades her senior.” (The full filing is available online.)
The couple remained together until 2018, Ventura said in the lawsuit, during which Combs allegedly beat her, coerced her into intercourse with sex workers, and—as their relationship was ending—reportedly raped her.
According to a spokesperson from the New York Police Department, no reports of abuse or assault have been filed against Combs in their jurisdiction. “There is no such investigation, at present,” NYPD said in a statement.
“The NYPD always treats allegations of sexual assault and rape extremely seriously, and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a police report so that support and services can be offered to survivors and a comprehensive investigation can be conducted.”
The media mogul’s attorney, Ben Brafman, claimed his client was the actual victim instead of the singer. “For the past six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail,” he said in a statement.
“Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’ reputation and seeking a payday.”
Ventura’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, denied Brafman’s assertions and said, “Mr. Combs offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit. She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all women who suffer in silence. Ms. Ventura should be applauded for her bravery.”
The coverage of the lawsuit prompted at least one other allegation against Combs to resurface. In a 2019 interview, another Combs ex, Gina Huynh (who also goes by Virginia V) made allegations of physical abuse against the artist. Combs has yet to address those claims, Page Six reports. News outlets also noted social media speculation about years-old images of Cassie that depicted injuries to her face. In the wake of this coverage, some celebrities—including Janet Jackson and Naomi Campbell—removed recent images of themselves with Combs from their social media accounts, but did not provide an explanation for the deletion.
In an email statement, Wigdor quoted Ventura and Combs as saying that the suit has been settled.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support,” Wigdor quoted Ventura as saying.
Wigdor also said that Combs released this remark: “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.”
Wigdor did not provide any details on the settlement, and said that “the parties will have no further statements.” Vanity Fair has contacted Brafman for comment but has not received a response as of publication time.
Eve Batey
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