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LOS ANGELES — A music producer who is suing Sean “Diddy” Combs is doubling down on allegations that Combs and his son had been concerned in a capturing that occurred at an L.A. recording studio in 2022, in addition to allegations of harassment.
Combs was sued Feb. 26 by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, a producer on his most up-to-date album, who alleged Combs sexually harassed, drugged and threatened him whereas he traveled and lived with Combs from September 2022 to November 2023.
Within the preliminary grievance, filed within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Southern District of New York, Jones additionally detailed a capturing at a “writers and producers camp” held at Chalice Recording Studio in Los Angeles on Sept. 12, 2022. Along with Jones, he stated Combs; Combs’ son, Justin; and Justin’s pal, recognized as “G,” had been there.
The main points offered in that grievance, and an amended grievance filed Monday, nonetheless, differ from details about the capturing offered by the Los Angeles Police Division and Combs’ lawyer, Shawn Holley.
The swimsuit additionally alleges that Combs is a part of a “RICO enterprise” and that he and others are concerned in a “intercourse trafficking enterprise.” A RICO enterprise is when people or teams act collectively to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which is supposed to focus on organized crime. The grievance is the most recent legal trouble for Combs, who has been hit with quite a few latest lawsuits, together with a number of allegations of sexual assault.
The capturing
The unique grievance contains Jones’ account that he heard a number of gunshots after a “heated dialog” in a close-by lavatory. When the toilet door opened, Combs and his son walked out and Jones discovered G “mendacity on the restroom ground in a fetal place, holding his abdomen and bleeding out of his leg/hip space,” the lawsuit stated.
Jones stated he introduced the sufferer to the entrance of the studio, the place an ambulance was ready. The Los Angeles Fireplace Division has not responded to a request final week for extra details about the capturing.
Jones alleged within the swimsuit that Combs instructed him to inform police Combs had nothing to do with the capturing and that it occurred exterior of the studio by a drive-by assailant. Jones maintained that G was not shot exterior of Chalice.
Chalice Recording Studio didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Monday. It additionally didn’t reply to a earlier request for remark final week.
The amended submitting features a message allegedly despatched by Chalice to an unnamed individual stating: “The capturing occurred a half a block away from Chalice and it was a results of a theft. There are police stories corroborating this. Please anticipate info to come back out earlier than you begin contributing to the defamation of our group.”
That strains up with Holley’s understanding of the sequence of occasions.
“When LAPD arrived on scene, it was instantly decided (conclusively) that the capturing occurred a ways from the studio,” she stated Monday.
The amended grievance additionally states, citing a media report, that Holley claimed G went to the studio after he was shot.
However Jones’ unique swimsuit claims the LAPD was inside Chalice and “witnessed the blood within the restroom,” however nonetheless “went with the bogus declare” that the capturing occurred exterior of the studio.
Included within the unique submitting are screenshots purportedly displaying “the aftermath of the restroom the place G was shot by both Mr. Combs or J. Combs.” NBC Information has not been in a position to determine the pink liquid depicted within the screenshots. Jones additionally claimed he has the clothes he wore the day of the capturing, which he says could have the DNA of the capturing sufferer.
The amended submitting additionally features a picture of Combs purportedly on the studio on the night time in query. The submitting states Combs and his son weren’t on the studio when the police arrived and alleges that Combs and his son “hid out” in one other studio whereas police investigated and had been the primary to depart after officers departed.
Holley on Monday disputed that account, saying “it’s my understanding that Sean and Justin had been at a very completely different a part of the studio when the capturing sufferer bumped into the toilet.”
She added that she doesn’t imagine police interviewed Combs or his son.
NBC Information has not confirmed whether or not Combs and his son had been interviewed. Capt. Kelly Muniz stated Saturday the LAPD wouldn’t touch upon the pending civil swimsuit or any of the precise allegations.
Representatives for Justin Combs on Feb. 27 denied the allegations filed within the unique grievance, which they referred to as “absurd” and “lies,” and stated there could be “authorized penalties for ALL defamatory statements made in regards to the Combs household.”
LAPD’s account
Los Angeles police have stated officers responded to a name of a potential capturing early on Sept. 12, 2022, on the 800 block of N. Highland Avenue — the identical block as Chalice.
Police stated the sufferer advised them two folks approached him whereas he was subsequent to his car, which was parked on the road, demanded his property and shot him within the torso after a battle.
Two months later, police arrested three folks and alleged they had been liable for a collection of robberies all through the town and probably others. A police spokesman advised NBC Information that included the Sept. 12 capturing.
On Tuesday, Holley advised NBC Information that Los Angeles police confirmed the capturing didn’t occur at or close to the studio, that Combs was not a suspect and that individuals concerned are being prosecuted.
The LAPD didn’t particularly reply to the preliminary allegations detailed within the unique grievance, however a supply accustomed to the investigation advised NBC Information that Combs was not concerned within the investigation. NBC Information has not confirmed whether or not Combs was interviewed.
Non-public investigator talked about in amended grievance
Within the unique grievance, Jones alleged that Combs referred to as Jones in August 2022 to request that Jones produce a number of songs on the R&B album “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” which was launched in September 2023 and was nominated for a Grammy.
Jones alleged within the unique grievance that over the course of their time residing and dealing collectively, Combs sexually harassed and assaulted Jones a number of instances. He stated he was additionally pressured to solicit intercourse employees and carry out intercourse acts with them to please Combs.
In a single alleged occasion Jones stated occurred in February of final 12 months, he stated he awoke bare, dizzy and confused in mattress with Combs and two intercourse employees, and that he believes Combs drugged him.
Within the unique grievance, Jones stated he has lots of of hours of video and audio to help his allegations of sexual harassment as a result of Combs usually required Jones to “document him always.” The video and audio of Combs, his workers and his company allegedly reveals them “partaking in severe criminality,” the swimsuit stated.
Holley, an lawyer for Combs, on Feb. 26 referred to as Jones’ allegations within the unique submitting “full lies,” including: “We’ll tackle these outlandish allegations in courtroom and take all acceptable motion towards those that make them.”
Within the swimsuit filed Feb. 26, Jones described Combs as “forceful and demanding” and somebody who doesn’t take no for a solution. Jones alleged that Combs, being some of the influential folks within the music business, leveraged his energy to intimidate Jones, together with by making threats that he would trigger bodily hurt to Jones if he didn’t adjust to Combs’ calls for.
“Mr. Combs constantly made it clear that he has immense energy within the music business and with regulation enforcement,” the lawsuit stated.
Within the amended grievance, Jones alleged that he discovered final week {that a} personal investigator, who he claims is linked to Combs, sought out, harassed and bribed a detailed pal “to supply grime” on Jones.
Jones claimed the investigator tried to bribe the pal to supply proof to “paint Mr. Jones in a nasty mild.” The submitting alleges Jones’ pal is now afraid for his or her security and that of their household following the alleged communication.
Representatives for Combs didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Monday in regards to the personal investigator allegation.
Jones alleges he was not paid for work on newest album
Jones additionally alleged within the Feb. 26 submitting that he was not paid for his work on “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” regardless of being “below an implied work-for-hire settlement.” The lawsuit says Combs, Love Data, Motown Data and Common Music Group benefited from his work, however that he was not compensated. Love Data, Motown Data and Common Music Group didn’t reply to a earlier request for remark.
Within the amended grievance filed Monday, Jones stated when he was recruited to work on “The Love Album,” he advised the recruiter he needed $20,000 per tune, 4 royalty factors, credit score as a producer, credit score for every instrument performed on the songs, and the retention of his publishing rights.
Jones stated he and the recruiter orally agreed to the phrases. Combs assured the phrases had been “accepted.” Due to this, Jones signed on to the challenge, the grievance states.
The amended grievance alleges Jones suffered losses together with $220,000, 4 royalty factors and producer credit for 9 songs. He’s searching for $30 million.
“Submitting a lawsuit ought to by no means be the primary possibility in a dispute. We will have an sincere dialogue to resolve the problems as I steered, or we are able to observe the identical plan Shawn Holley used that bought her shoppers Danny Masterson and Tory Lanez convicted. Makes one surprise who is absolutely managing this example for Mr. Combs,” Jones’ lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, stated Monday.
In a response to a request for touch upon Feb. 26, Blackburn used a Latin phrase, “res ipsa loquitur,” which loosely interprets as “the factor speaks for itself,” referring to the lawsuit.
Common Music Group and its chairman and CEO, Lucian Grainge, didn’t instantly reply Monday to a request for touch upon the amended grievance.
Earlier fits
Along with Jones’ swimsuit, 4 girls filed separate lawsuits towards Combs late final 12 months, all accusing him of sexual assault.
The primary was filed by singer Cassie, whose authorized identify is Casandra Ventura. In it, she stated Combs bodily abused her and compelled her to have intercourse with male prostitutes whereas he masturbated and recorded it. The swimsuit was settled the day after it was filed, however the settlement was “under no circumstances an admission of wrongdoing,” an lawyer for Combs stated on the time.
Following Cassie’s lawsuit, two different girls — Liza Gardner and Joie Dickerson-Neal — filed lawsuits towards Combs alleging he sexually assaulted them.
Then, a lady recognized solely as Jane Doe in courtroom paperwork, filed one other lawsuit, alleging Combs and two other men gang-raped her when she was 17 and Combs was 34.
These three instances towards Combs are nonetheless pending. In Doe’s case, the courtroom dominated Thursday she can not stay nameless if the case proceeds.
In an announcement in December, Combs denied the allegations towards him, saying “sufficient is sufficient,” and referred to as the claims towards him “sickening.”
“Let me be completely clear: I didn’t do any of the terrible issues being alleged. I’ll battle for my identify, my household and for the reality,” he stated within the assertion on the time.
Diana Dasrath and Andrew Blankstein reported from Los Angeles, and Rebecca Cohen from New York Metropolis.
This text was initially revealed on NBCNews.com
