Diddy secured another partial win in court this week, but his legal battles are far from over.
According to court documents obtained and reviewed by Complex, Dawn Richard has dropped her claims against 10 of Diddy’s companies in her $3.5 million lawsuit. Those businesses include Daddy’s House Recording Studio, Bad Boy Entertainment LLC, Bad Boy Records LLC, Bad Boy Entertainment Holdings Inc., Bad Boy Productions Holdings Inc., Bad Boy Books Holdings Inc., 1169 Corp (formerly Sean Combs Music Inc.), Sean Combs Capital LLC, CE OpCo LLC (formerly Combs Enterprises), and UMG Recordings Inc.
Richard’s legal team dismissed the claims “without prejudice,” meaning she can refile against them in the future. But while some entities are off the hook for now, Diddy himself is still very much in the crosshairs. The lawsuit continues against Diddy, Harve Pierre, Janice Combs Publishing Holdings, Inc., Janice Combs Publishing LLC, and Love Records, Inc., according to the filing. Richard also plans to file a second amended complaint, signaling that the case is only getting started.
Diddy’s attorneys told Judge Katherine Polk Failla they had no issue with Richard updating the complaint, though they argued that her forthcoming claims will ultimately prove “futile.” They also noted that she has already dropped her human trafficking claim under New York law.
Richard, a former Danity Kane member, accuses Diddy of abuse and exploitation during her time working with him. Her claims include being groped and forced to strip during rehearsals, subjected to meetings where Diddy wore only underwear, sleep and food deprivation, withholding of pay for her work and threats against her life, and warnings to others they could “go missing” if they spoke out.
Diddy’s legal team has denied the accusations, calling them false and sensational. This is just one of more than 60 lawsuits Diddy is facing amid mounting allegations of abuse, racketeering, and sex trafficking.
Earlier this week, he caught a break when a judge dismissed 21 out of 22 claims in a $60 million sexual assault suit filed by former Da Band member Sara Rivers, citing that most were too old to be pursued. In July, Diddy was acquitted of major racketeering and sex trafficking charges in a federal trial but was convicted of two counts related to transporting individuals for prostitution. He is set to be sentenced on October 3.
