Diddy’s Attorney Calls Dawn Richard’s Abuse Allegations “False Claims” and Accuses Her of Seeking a Payday

Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ attorney, Erica Wolff, has issued a statement in response to the latest lawsuit filed by singer Dawn Richard, who has accused the music mogul of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Wolff expressed that Combs is “shocked and disappointed” by the allegations, which she claims are “false” and aimed at securing a financial payout.

“In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a payday — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour,” Wolff told Page Six.

Wolff also pointed out that if Richard had such a negative experience with Combs, she would not have chosen to continue working with him for Dirty Money or have returned for the “Making the Band” reboot in 2020. She further mentioned Richard’s feature on Combs’ “The Love Album” last year as evidence of their longstanding professional relationship.

“It’s unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court,” Wolff added.

Richard, a former member of the groups Danity Kane and Dirty Money, has made a series of explosive allegations against the Bad Boy founder. She claims to have witnessed Combs, allegedly “high on drugs” at the time, violently assault his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. According to the lawsuit, Richard alleges that she saw Combs throw Ventura against a wall, choke her, and drag her up a flight of stairs in his Los Angeles home. She also claims that he threw a “scalding” pan of eggs at Ventura while shouting, “I’ve been asking you for my s–t; I can’t stand you, b***h, you never do it right!”

Richard further alleges that she saw Combs punch Ventura in the face and attempt to strangle her with his bare hands. When Richard and her Dirty Money bandmate Kalenna Harper tried to support Ventura and encouraged her to leave Combs, he allegedly threatened them, saying, “Y’all bitches don’t get in my relationship,” “Just make money and shut the f–k up,” and “You bitches want to die today?”

In her lawsuit, Richard also claims Combs forced her to rehearse for 48 hours without sleep, causing her to lose weight, become dehydrated, and develop rashes. She alleges that between 2009 and 2011, Combs sexually assaulted her numerous times by touching her near her breasts and buttocks while she was undressed in a changing room. “Mr. Combs frequently smacked Ms. Richard’s bare buttocks and often commented on her body, noting that although she was ‘too skinny,’ she had an ‘ass,’” the lawsuit reads. Richard also alleges that she witnessed Combs and several men gang-raping his former female assistant at a hotel pool in Glasgow.

Richard is seeking compensatory damages, a judgment for mental pain and emotional distress, punitive and exemplary damages, and coverage of her attorneys’ fees.

These new allegations come as Diddy faces several other lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct. He has denied the majority of the claims but did settle a high-profile rape and abuse lawsuit filed by Cassie Ventura just one day after she submitted it in November 2023. In May, video footage was released showing Combs physically attacking Ventura in a hotel in 2016, for which he later issued a public apology, though he did not mention Ventura by name.