Members of Danity Kane are backing Cassie after she accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of more than a decade of rape and physical abuse in a bombshell lawsuit.
Rapper Combs, 54, formed the group on MTV’s “Making the Band” in 2005. At various times, Danity Kane consisted of Aubrey O’Day, Wanita “D. Woods” Woodgett, Dawn Richard, Aundrea Fimbres and Shannon Bex.
O’Day, 39, told Page Six that she’s “in complete support” of Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura.
“It isn’t easy to take on one of the most powerful people in this industry and be honest about your experience with them. I know what her heart is feeling right now, because I have done so as well,” she added to “Entertainment Tonight.” “May her voice bring all the others to the table, so we can start having more transparent conversations about what is actually happening behind the scenes. There is a lot more to all of our stories!”
On social media, O’Day shared on her Instagram Story: “Been trynna tell y’all for years.”
In September, O’Day claimed that Combs asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement to never disparage the rapper and his label, Bad Boy.
Woodgett, meanwhile, wrote a message on her own Instagram account.
“Self worth, peace of mind and the right to speak your TRUTH,” she wrote. “Cassie you are incredibly brave to shine light on what you endured in the dark. I’m sorry you had to go through it alone. I’m praying for your continued strength and I offer my full support to you.”
Danity Kane worked with Bad Boy records for six years, producing two platinum albums.
On Thursday, Ventura, 37, filed her lawsuit against Combs, who was recently presented with the Global Icon Award at the 2023 Video Music Awards. The Manhattan federal suit was filed with a “trigger warning,” with Ventura claiming that Combs abused her between 2005 through 2018 during their on-and-off relationship.
“After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships,” Ventura said in a statement via her attorneys at Wigdor LLP.
The exes met when she was 19 and Combs was 37. Some of her claims included that Combs allegedly “savagely” and “frequently” beat her multiple times over the years and that he raped her when she broke up with him in 2018.
In January 2009, she alleged that Combs became “enraged” when he witnessed her speaking with another music manager at an LA party. He then allegedly pushed her out of the club and into a car, where he stomped on her face until she was covered in blood.
According to the suit, Combs also allegedly beat Cassie during parties with other A-listers and music executives present. Bad Boy Entertainment, Bad Boy Records, Epic Records and Comb Enterprises are all named in the suit for allegedly failing to protect their employee against her “boss.”
Ventura also claimed that Combs forced her into participating in what he called “freak off” parties. He would allegedly pressure her to engage in drug-fueled sex acts with sex workers as he allegedly filmed, directed and masturbated.
“Ms. Ventura has now fully escaped Mr. Combs, but the harm that the assaults and sexual abuse he caused her to experience for nearly a decade will forever haunt her,” the filing stated.
“She has required intensive medical and psychological care to recover from the trauma she lived through,” the filing said. “She cannot, however, continue to live in silence about what she endured. Mr. Combs remains immensely powerful, and immensely dangerous. Ms. Ventura therefore seeks justice for the decade of her life that Mr. Combs took away from her with threats of violence, excessive use of drugs, physical and psychological abuse, and sexual slavery.”
Combs, however, is denying the allegations.
His attorney, Ben Brafman, said Combs “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations” — and claimed that Ventura had been demanding $30 million from Combs for the last six months “under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail.”
Ventura’s husband, Alex Fine, has also shown his support amid the explosive claims. On Thursday night, he briefly reshared a photo of the couple’s wedding day via Instagram Story before deleting it.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673.
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