Back in December, we told you about the shocking gang rape allegations hip-hop mogul Diddy was facing.
Named alongside his former Bad Boy president Harve Pierre and an unidentified third person, the bombshell lawsuit stems from a Jane Doe, who was only 17 at the time and alleged she was trafficked and gang-raped by Diddy, Harve, and the third man in Manhattan back in 2003. She claims she “suffered monetary damages, physical injury, pain and suffering, and serious psychological and emotional distress, entitling her to an award of compensatory and punitive damages.”
Now, in new court documents filed on Wednesday and obtained by legal affairs and trials journalist Meghann Cuniff, an attorney representing Diddy is asking the judge to “seal” a “brief opposing the woman’s request to proceed anonymously, saying he’s doing so ‘out of an abundance of caution.’” If that sounds confusing, let me try to break it down:
Jane Doe initially filed the suit under the promise of anonymity. Diddy’s legal team, in addition to Harve’s, have filed a motion opposing that she keep her identity hidden. However, on Wednesday, they filed additional paperwork (the to keep her identity somewhat under wraps for now as they argued that the details that are presented in the brief—should they become a matter of public record—would be enough for people to identify who she is as she “has a public-facing identity.” Both lawyers for Jane Doe and Diddy have since agreed to keep the brief sealed.
What this basically translates to is: although Diddy’s legal team wanted to expose her identity for the sake of the trial overall, they want to keep the details that could identify her under wraps for the time being. This is likely due to the fact that should the information come out to the general public—they would lose in the court of public opinion before they even get before a real judge.
In a statement following the development, lawyers representing Jane Doe said on X/Twitter:
“It is disgraceful that Combs and Pierre would seek to publicly expose the identity of a woman who alleges they raped her when she was a seventeen-year-old high school student. It is clear that Combs and Pierre’s only defense to these allegations will be to shame our client, cause her to be saddled with unwanted public attention about a horrific event in her youth, and will discourage her from pursuing justice. This is exactly why courts allow plaintiffs like Ms. Doe to proceed under a pseudonym, and we will vehemently fight to protect the privacy interests of our client.”
As previously reported by The Root, Douglas H. Wigdor, the lawyer representing Jane in this case is the same one who helped Cassie file her suit against Diddy. Unlike Cassie’s however—which was filed under New York’s Adult Survivor’s Act—Jane’s lawsuit is being filed under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Act, which created a two-year “lookback” window for civil claims that previously fell outside the statute of limitations. It expires on March 1, 2025.
Diddy has denied any and all allegations of wrongdoing in this case, previously saying in a statement on his Instagram:
Enough is enough. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick pay day.
Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth. Sean Diddy Combs.