In 2001, an individual brought forth allegations that Sean 'Diddy' Combs and his bodyguard had drugged and assaulted her, furthermore claiming they recorded the incident.
Thalia Graves claimed to have encountered Sean Combs, known as Diddy, at age 25 through her boyfriend, who was employed at Combs' record label, Bad Boy. The summer of 2001 saw Graves in a car with Combs and Joseph Sherman, his bodyguard and security head. She accepted his offer of a drink, leading to her feeling disoriented and weak, the lawsuit details.
She lost consciousness and later found herself naked in a Manhattan studio, her hands tied behind her back, as per the lawsuit. Combs reportedly violated her sexually, and when she resisted, he allegedly smashed her head against a pool table. Sherman, meanwhile, allegedly assaulted her as she was in and out of consciousness, according to the lawsuit.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Graves, alongside attorney Gloria Allred, shared her emotions through tears, expressing the damage the incident had caused her physically and emotionally.
"The mix of physical and emotional suffering has created a cycle of agony from which it's tough to break free," she said. "I wish to proceed on this journey towards recovery and healing. I'm glad he's behind bars, but that's just a temporary sense of relief."
CNN has reached out to Combs and Sherman's representatives for comment.
The lawsuit marks the latest allegation of sexual abuse against Combs, coming a week after his indictment on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transporting for prostitution. Combs, 54, has pleaded not guilty to these charges and was denied bail, with a federal judge ruling he must stay in detention.
The indictment accused Combs of leading a "criminal enterprise" with other associates and employees, hosting drug-filled "Freak Offs" with victims and male sex workers, documenting instances of physical and sexual abuse, and exposing a large collection of baby oil and lubricant during raids on his homes, amongst other claims.
Combs has been accused in 10 civil lawsuits involving various forms of sexual misconduct and illegal activity.
Following the attack, Graves was in pain and distress, leading her to seek medical help in a livery service, but she remained fearful of Combs' retribution and didn't leave the car, according to the lawsuit.
As a result of the rape, Graves allegedly struggles with severe depression and PTSD, and she has even attempted suicide, she claimed.
In November 2023, Graves learned, through her ex-boyfriend, that Combs and Sherman had filmed and distributed video evidence of the assault, as per the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that Combs, Sherman, and companies linked to Combs have breached New York’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, and they have violated state civil rights law and city administrative code, according to the lawsuit.
Combs was moved into a dorm-style room at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Monday, sharing the space with former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried and former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez. These high-profile inmates stay in a larger, isolated holding unit, away from the general public and their common areas, a source told CNN.
CNN’s Kara Scannell contributed to this report.
This is an evolving story and will be updated.
After the incident, Thalia Graves found solace in watching various forms of entertainment to distract herself from her emotional turmoil. The ongoing legal battle against Sean Combs for sexual abuse and other charges has highlighted the concerning trend of entertainment figures being involved in such allegations.
