Two new civil lawsuits filed Monday in New York accuse Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual misconduct involving minors, adding to recent allegations against him. The lawsuits, filed by attorneys Andrew van Arsdale and Tony Buzbee, detail incidents from 2005 and an audition for Making the Band, both involving young aspiring musicians.
In one suit, the plaintiff, a 10-year-old at the time, traveled with his parents from Los Angeles to New York in 2005 to pursue his music career. According to the lawsuit, Combs met with the boy—referred to as John Doe in the filing—in a hotel room, where the boy performed several rap songs. Combs allegedly promised he could “make him a star” and asked how far he was willing to go for fame. The lawsuit claims that after an associate gave the boy a soda that made him feel “a little funny,” Combs allegedly made inappropriate advances under the pretext of needing to “do some stuff you don’t want to do sometimes.”
The second lawsuit details accusations from a then-17-year-old who participated in a multi-day audition for Making the Band. The plaintiff alleges that Combs subjected him to inappropriate actions, including groping and asking him to embody a “sex idol” persona. According to the complaint, Combs later pressured the teen into sexual acts, which allegedly continued on subsequent days of the audition and resulted in his removal from the competition after he hesitated.
These lawsuits are among a series of allegations brought by van Arsdale and Buzbee, who are reportedly representing over 100 individuals alleging misconduct by Combs. Combs, arrested last month on separate sex trafficking charges, has denied all allegations against him.
“The lawyer behind this lawsuit is interested in media attention rather than the truth, as is obvious from his constant press appearances and 1-800 number,” the statement said. “As we’ve said before, Mr. Combs cannot respond to every new publicity stunt, even in response to claims that are facially ridiculous or demonstrably false.”
Combs’ defense team described the lawsuits as “publicity stunts” and emphasized their belief in his innocence. “In court, the truth will prevail,” his attorneys said in a statement Monday.
