Former MTV Model Mission contender files lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs for alleged sexual assault.
Sean Combs, also known as Diddy, is facing a new allegation of sexual assault. A lawsuit obtained by CNN claims that McKinney was drugged and sexually assaulted by Combs in 2003 following a Men's Fashion Week event in New York City.
At the time, McKinney was 22 years old and first met Combs at a dinner where he made suggestive comments towards her. She felt confused but hopeful that Combs would help her career, so she accepted his invitation to his recording studio later that night. There, Combs offered her marijuana, which she alleged was laced with a narcotic. She claims he then led her to the bathroom and forced her to perform oral sex on him.
After the incident, McKinney lost consciousness and later woke up in a taxi, not knowing where she was. She eventually realized she had been sexually assaulted by Combs.
CNN reached out to representatives for Combs, Bad Boy Records, Sean John Clothing LLC, and Universal Music Group Inc., who were also named as defendants, for comment. McKinney is suing the defendants for violating the New York Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law.
The law, created by the New York City Council, gives survivors of gender-motivated acts of violence more time to pursue civil actions by extending the statute of limitations and applying to acts committed by parties who direct, enable, participate in, or conspire in the violence.
McKinney rose to fame after winning MTV's Model Mission in 1998 and being awarded a modeling contract with IMG. She became a familiar face on various MTV shows and appeared in a fashion campaign for Tommy Hilfiger. However, the alleged assault led her to a downward spiral, as she developed depression and addiction issues. The complaint states that McKinney still experiences mental health struggles stemming from the incident and has since stopped pursuing a career in modeling.
She is seeking unspecified damages in punitive and compensatory damages.
This lawsuit follows closely behind another one where Ventura accused Combs of raping her in 2018 and subjecting her to years of physical and verbal abuse. Ventura settled the suit after filing, and Combs' attorney stated it was a decision to settle a lawsuit and not an admission of wrongdoing.
The rap mogul also apologized for his actions in the video released by CNN. Ventura's attorney Firetog criticized Combs' response, saying he had previously denied the allegations and implied the victims were seeking a payday.
So far, this is the seventh lawsuit against Combs, with six of them containing sexual assault allegations. Only Ventura's lawsuit has been settled.
Combs' homes were searched by authorities on March 25, 2024, in a federal investigation into human trafficking crimes led by a Department of Homeland Security team. The investigation stems from the same sexual assault allegations presented in the civil lawsuits.
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Source: edition.cnn.com
