Diddy’s Former Bodyguard Files $100 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against Rape Accuser

One of the many things people are learning about Diddy’s debacle is that not many are safe. Anyone who has come in contact with him in some form seems to be tangled up in his allegations. Overall, the entire thing is messy beyond belief, especially with new lawsuits coming in every other day it feels. It’s truly hard to decipher which alleged victim actually has real proof in their documents. But Diddy’s alleged past decisions are affecting him and his loved ones, and also those have been associated with him. That’s proven to be the case here, as a former bodyguard of Diddy’s is now having to legally retaliate with a suit of his own.

According to AllHipHop, Joseph Sherman, the ex-employee of the Bad Boy Records founder, is seeking $100 million in emotional distress and defamation from Thalia Graves. She accused both Sherman and Diddy of rape back in 2001 at the aforementioned label’s studio. Additionally, Graves alleges that the two men filmed the entire act and sold the footage too. However, Sherman claims there’s no way this could have happened. The reason being, he was let go by Diddy in 1999. “Plainly said, the Plaintiff, Joseph Sherman, was not even allowed into Bad Boy records studios or near Sean Combs after 1999.” Meaning, “Consequently, he could not have videotaped or raped Thalia Graves.”

Read More: Gunna’s Brother Scathingly Reacts To Young Thug Shade

Diddy’s Ex-Bodyguard Claims That Thalia Graves Feels Betrayed

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Joe Sherman (@rhymesndimes.brand)

Darnell Crosland, who is Sherman’s attorney, added Graves’ allegations are “utterly false and untrue.” Furthermore, Crosland affirms they are, “outrageous, disgusting, and life altering statements and publishings… without any regard for the truth.” Overall, Sherman feels this entire situation has been essentially nonsense, but also “a money grab” on Graves’ part. In an interview with NBC New York last month, he shared some text messages with the outlet that revealed quite a lot.

They show that Graves was willing to not mention him in her suit against Diddy but only if he agreed to be a witness for her. Additionally, she blackmailed him in the process. Her one text read, “My attorneys will leave you out of any proceedings because we have statements that you physically showed over eight people videos of me and you to people in the studio.” Sherman responded, “I don’t know what the f*** you talking about [or] know who the f*** you are.” He again denied not knowing who she was and that he never saw a video of the alleged rape.

Read More: Keyshia Cole Continues To Suggest That She’s Done With Hunxho Thanks To Some Suggestive Posts

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Kenneth Petty’s Sexual Assault Accuser Pushes For Him To Face Deposition

Jennifer Hough, who is suing Nicki Minaj’s husband, Kenneth Petty, over an alleged 1994 rape, has filed a motion requesting a judge in the case increase the pressure on Petty to appear in person for a deposition. The move comes after her lawyer cut off her July 9 deposition while arguing that the questioning reached a point of harassment. Regardless, Hough says she sat down to be deposed for over six hours. The lawsuit centers around the allegation that Petty intimidated and threatened her after she refused to accept a bribe to recant her claims to help him get off the National Sex Offender Registry.

“Inexplicably, Defendant Petty did not appear for today’s deposition, and Plaintiff had to incur the cost of reserving a court report and setting aside time to prepare for the deposition. Plaintiff respectfully requests that the court force defendant Petty to pay for the cost associated with intentionally failing to appear for the deposition,” Hough’s lawyer wrote.

Read More: Nicki Minaj’s Husband Kenneth Petty Updates Sex Offender Registry Photo

Kenneth Petty & Nicki Minaj Attend New York Fashion Week

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 12: Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty attend the Marc Jacobs Fall 2020 runway show during New York Fashion Week on February 12, 2020, in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Marc Jacobs)

The filing continued: “The Plaintiff respectfully requests leave to file a motion to compel Defendant Petty to provide the outstanding document requests and appear in person for deposition. The Plaintiff also respectfully requests a 60-day extension for the end of fact discovery, as the defendants’ intentional delays and refusals to participate in depositions have harmed the Plaintiff’s ability to effectively complete fact discovery.”

Kenneth Petty Avoids Deposition

Hough previously named Nicki Minaj as a defendant in the lawsuit as well; however, she removed her in an amendment back in December. Be on the lookout for further updates on Kenneth Petty and Nicki Minaj on HotNewHipHop.

Read More: Joe Budden Turns Down Nicki Minaj’s Offer To Perform On “Pink Friday 2” Tour: “I Ain’t Hype No More!”

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The-Dream Claims Rape Allegations Are Untrue And Defamatory

The music world has been the focus of grave accusations over the last few months. Diddy has been accused of assaulting multiple women, beyond the harrowing footage of him attacking Cassie. Kanye West has been sued for sexual harassing a former employee. And now, The-Dream is being accused of similarly horrible actions. Chanaaz Mangroe, better known as Channii Monroe, accused the R&B singer of assault and sexually violent encounters of an extended period of time.

Mangroe’s allegations were made public on June 4, and within hours, The-Dream issued a response. In a statement obtained by the New York Times, the R&B singer claimed that none of what Mangroe said was true. “These claims are untrue and defamatory,” the statement read. The-Dream also said he was firmly against harassment. “I oppose all forms of harassment,” he added. “I have always strived to help people realize their career goals. As someone committed to making a positive impact on my fellow artists and the world at large, I am deeply offended and saddened by these accusations.”

Read More: Drake Calls The-Dream The GOAT After Grammys

The-Dream Has Previously Been Accused Of Assault

The-Dream’s comments have not deterred his accuser. Mangroe maintains that the R&B singer raped her on more than one occasion. She also claimed that The-Dream would “frequently” strangle her during “violent sex” that became so intense during one instance “she almost lost consciousness.” Other details paint a picture of The-Dream as a manipulative person who controlled every single aspect of Mangroe’s life. According to People Magazine, Mangroe is naming The-Dream and his label, Epic Records, in a suit for enabling “depraved behavior.”

The-Dream has a history of violent behavior. The singer was arrested for a domestic violence incident in 2013, but his girlfriend refused to press charges. He was arrested the following year on charges of felony assault and strangulation against the same girlfriend, Lydia Nam. The girlfriend claimed that The-Dream “punched, kicked, and strangled her” while she was pregnant with their son. She reported the incident seven months later, and the singer turned himself in for questioning. The charges against him were ultimately dismissed due to a lack of evidence.

Read More: The Dream, Producer For Beyonce, Rihanna, & More, Faces Rape Accusation In New Lawsuit

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The-Dream Accused Of Rape & Sexual Battery By Former Protegée: What We Know

Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, better known as The-Dream, a celebrated producer and songwriter renowned for his work with megastars like Beyoncé and Rihanna, is now facing serious accusations. A lawsuit filed on Tuesday by Chanaaz Mangroe, an artist The-Dream once mentored, alleges rape and sexual battery, The New York Times reports. The-Dream, with eight Grammy Awards to his name, has a legacy of creating hits that have defined the pop and R&B genres. However, these recent claims threaten to overshadow his achievements.

Read More: 10 Essential The-Dream Tracks

Details Of The Allegations

the-dream lawsuit
(Photo by Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images)

Chanaaz Mangroe, who performed as Channii Monroe, alleges that The-Dream manipulated her with promises of stardom to trap her in an abusive relationship. The lawsuit outlines numerous incidents beginning in 2015 where The-Dream allegedly forced her into sexual acts, strangled her, and recorded intimate moments, later using the footage as a threat. These abuses purportedly started shortly after their initial meeting in Atlanta when he invited her to collaborate on music projects.

The Influence & Manipulation

With a repertoire that includes hits like “Umbrella” by Rihanna and “Single Ladies” by Beyoncé, The-Dream holds substantial sway in the music industry. The lawsuit portrays him as exploiting this power, using career advancement as a lure to control Mangroe. She alleges he pressured her into sexual acts by claiming it was necessary for her professional success, effectively intertwining her aspirations with her abuse.

Read More: Drake Calls The-Dream The GOAT After Grammys

Escalating Abuse & Control

the-dream lawsuit
(Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)

The complaint describes a disturbing escalation in Gesteelde-Diamant’s behavior. Mangroe alleges Gesteelde-Diamant placed her in a hotel under surveillance by his security team and faced verbal abuse for minor grievances. The lawsuit also claims The-Dream provided her with drugs and alcohol and forced her into non-consensual sexual activities. In one of these instances, she claimed that it took place in a movie theater.

“​​What Dream did to me made it impossible to live the life I envisioned for myself and pursue my goals as a singer and songwriter,” Ms. Mangroe said in a statement. “Ultimately, my silence has become too painful, and I realized that I need to tell my story to heal. I hope that doing so will also help others and prevent future horrific abuse.”

Mangroe’s lawsuit also implicates Epic Records, a Sony subsidiary, for their inaction when she reported the abuse. She claims an executive dismissed her concerns and suggested she reconcile with Gesteelde-Diamant. By 2016, she alleges that Epic dropped her due to his influence. The lawsuit leverages the Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act. This permits older cases of sexual assault to be prosecuted beyond the standard limitations period.

Responses & Historical Allegations

the-dream lawsuit
(Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images)

Gesteelde-Diamant has denied the allegations, calling them false and defamatory. He stressed his opposition to harassment and commitment to supporting fellow artists. “These claims are untrue and defamatory,” he said in the statement. “I oppose all forms of harassment and have always strived to help people realize their career goals. As someone committed to making a positive impact on my fellow artists and the world at large, I am deeply offended and saddened by these accusations.” However, this isn’t the first time he’s faced such accusations. In 2014, he was accused of assaulting a pregnant former girlfriend. However, the court dropped the charges due to lack of evidence.

Mangroe is represented by Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith A. Firetog, the same lawyers who represented singer Cassie in a notable case against Sean Combs. They argue that Mangroe’s case exemplifies a broader issue of powerful men in the music industry abusing their positions. They hope this lawsuit will expose these practices and contribute to preventing future abuses.

Conclusion

The allegations against The-Dream highlight severe issues of exploitation and abuse within the music industry. As the legal proceedings unfold, they may bring increased scrutiny and potentially lead to significant changes in how such allegations are handled. This case underscores the misuse of power and the bravery of those who come forward to tell their stories.

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