R&B singer Cassie has reached a settlement with her ex-boyfriend and hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, just one day after she accused him of sexual abuse and rape in a bombshell lawsuit filed in New York.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” Cassie — whose legal name is Casandra Ventura — said in a statement. “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.”
Combs echoed the sentiment in a statement of his own late Friday night, wishing Cassie “all the best” and “love.” Both parties said they would not offer further comment on the matter and the terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
In a federal lawsuit filed on Thursday, Ventura claimed 54-year-old Combs raped her and subjected her to years of repeated physical and mental abuse. She said they began a sexual and professional relationship shortly after they met in 2005, when she was 19 and he was 37. After she signed to his label, Bad Boy Records, Diddy introduced her to his “ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle,” she said.
According to the suit, the music producer quickly took control of her personal life and, through threats of violence, forced her to engage in various sex acts with male sex workers. He also plied her with drugs and recorded some of the encounters, she alleged.
“Prone to uncontrollable rage,” Combs additionally subjected Ventura to “savage” beatings in which he punched, kicked and stomped her, according to the lawsuit.
In 2018, Ventura said she attempted to end their relationship, at which point he allegedly raped her inside her Los Angeles home.
“After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships,” Ventura said in a statement issued after the filing.
Ben Brafman, an attorney for Combs, did not immediately respond to request for comment upon the announced settlement. On Thursday, he said that Combs “vehemently denies” the allegations.
With News Wire Services
