What's New
An Oklahoma woman suing Sean "Diddy" Combs for sexual assault at one of his infamous parties included photos of the night in a lawsuit filed Friday.
Newsweek reached out to Combs' representative via email for comment.
The Context
Combs, 55, has been imprisoned at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September on sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
The rapper is also the subject of over 20 civil lawsuits with allegations of sexual misconduct, including an anonymous woman alleging Combs and Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, raped her at a 2000 MTV Video Music Awards afterparty when she was 13 years old.
Radio Contest Winner Allegedly Drugged, Raped At 2006 Diddy Party
LaTroya Grayson said in a lawsuit Friday that when she was 23, she was invited to a 2006 promotional party in New York after her sibling won a KJAMZ radio contest sponsored by Combs and others. The prize included round-trip airfare for the winner and a guest, a hotel stay in New York City, and two tickets to Combs' "White Party," later changed to a "Black Party," according to the suit. Grayson's lawsuit includes photos of Delta airline tickets and a hotel bill, paid by Atlantic Records, allegedly from the trip.
Newsweek reached out to KJAMZ 105.3 and its parent company, Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Company, via email for comment.
Grayson said she felt sick after accepting two premade drinks from waitresses at the party and headed to the bathroom. While she has no memory of what happened next, Grayson said she woke up in the hospital after being drugged, sexually assaulted and robbed. She does not explicitly mention seeing or speaking with Combs at the party and cannot confirm who allegedly raped her.
The lawsuit includes photos of the waitresses allegedly at the party and photo ops with Grayson and rappers Bonecrusher and Babz from Making the Band.
Once back in Oklahoma, Grayson said she got a phone call from an anonymous woman who allegedly warned her against legal action against Combs because he was a "celebrity" and she would be "wasting her time."
Combs' Bad Boy Records, Atlanta Records, Delta Airlines, and other companies are also named as defendants.
Grayson claims ongoing psychological trauma, intimacy issues, and loss of employment, seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief.
Lawyer Representing Jay-Z Rape Accuser Responds To His Attorney
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who is representing 120 alleged victims of sexual assault by Combs, fired back at Alex Spiro, an attorney for Jay-Z, in legal documents on December 20 as disputes surrounding a rape lawsuit against Combs and Jay-Z continue to play out in court.
In a letter to New York Judge Analisa Torres, Buzbee responded to Jay-Z's motions to dismiss the rape lawsuit against him based on Buzbee's alleged misconduct and inconsistencies between John Doe's lawsuit and a recent CNN interview.
Buzbee called the inconsistencies in Doe's TV interview "run-of-the-mill disputes of fact." He argued that Jay-Z's motion to dismiss is frivolous and groundless regarding alleged events that occurred 24 years ago when Doe, who is autistic, was minor, and such factual disputes do not justify sanctions.
Buzbee also accused Jay-Z of using intimidation, harassment, and bad faith tactics inside and outside the courtroom to pressure Doe and the Buzbee Law Firm.
Newsweek reached out to Buzbee and Alex Spiro via email for comment.
Luigi Mangione Joins Diddy In Notorious Brooklyn Jail
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn with Combs.
Mangione was at the MDC Brooklyn on December 20, according to a Newsweek search of federal prison inmate records. Combs is being held in the Special Housing Unit, which is removed from the general jail population. It is unclear whether Mangione is also in the SHU.
Buzbee Accused Jay-Z's Roc Nation Employees of Impersonating Texas Officials
On December 18, Buzbee accused lawyers Marcy Croft and Quinn Emanuel, who represent Jay-Z's Roc Nation entertainment label, of orchestrating a scheme to offer his current and former clients money to sue the Buzbee Law Firm, aiming to stop him from pursuing cases against Jay-Z and others allegedly related to the Combs cases.
In the lawsuit obtained by Newsweek, Buzbee said the defendants contacted more than two dozen current and former Buzbee Law Firm clients to convince them to sue the firm. Roc Nation agents allegedly pretended to work for the State of Texas and flashed fake badges, Buzbee said. In at least one case, Roc Nation agents allegedly offered a Buzbee client up to $10,000 to sue him.
Buzbee alleged Croft was caught on audiotape describing the conspiracy in detail, saying that the lawsuits would be in the press and that some former clients had already accepted money to join the effort.
Croft and a Roc Nation spokesperson denied Buzbee's allegations to Newsweek.
Combs' Looked 'Thinner' And 'Grayer' In Court
Combs appeared "noticeably thinner" during a pretrial hearing on December 18 in New York for his sex trafficking case, Law & Crime reporter Elizabeth Millner, who attended the court date, reported.
"He appeared very noticeably thinner, and maybe being locked up in detention is starting to wear on him. He appeared grayer, too. But again, he appeared just how you would expect Diddy to appear for a hearing," Millner said.
Prosecutors told Judge Arun Subramanian, who is overseeing Combs' federal sex trafficking case in New York, on December 18 that they plan to provide all discovery in this case by the end of the year, the outlet reported.
Discovery is a pre-trial process where parties in a lawsuit request information and evidence from each other and external sources to prepare for trial and understand the facts of the case.
Prosecutor Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson also told the judge that while they couldn't discuss many details about their ongoing investigation or any potential superseding indictment, "We're mindful of the trial date. Any additional charges will have little discovery information."
A superseding indictment amends and replaces the original, listing formal charges against a defendant. Approved by a grand jury after new evidence is obtained, it often adds charges or defendants and, in rare cases, may also make minor deletions from the original.
What People Are Saying
A Roc Nation representative, in an email statement to Newsweek: "Tony Buzbee's baloney lawsuit against ROCNATION is nothing but another sham. It's a pathetic attempt to distract and deflect attention. This sideshow won't change the ultimate outcome and true justice will be served soon."
Marcy Croft, in an email statement to Newsweek: "Tony Buzbee has now conjured up fantastical allegations against me and my firm — well known corruption fighters — in a desperate attempt to distract from his mounting legal woes. We look forward to addressing these false allegations and having them dismissed."
Following a report that Combs looked "noticeably thinner" in court, a source to Newsweek said via email on December 19: "Combs is fit, healthy, and fully focused on his defense. He has been very active, remains in good spirits, and, as always, he was happy to see his children."
What Happens Next
Subramanian has until January 3, 2025, to rule on a motion from Combs' attorneys on whether his anonymous sexual assault accuses will need to reveal their real names in their civil lawsuits. Combs' next hearing in his sex trafficking case is set for March 17, 2024. His trial is scheduled to begin on May 5, 2025.
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