*Sean “Diddy” Combs is compelling his sexual assault accusers to choose between revealing their identities in lawsuits against him or having their cases dismissed.
As his criminal sex-trafficking trial in Manhattan nears, Combs and his legal team have successfully challenged the anonymity of several accusers in the numerous civil lawsuits filed after his September arrest. According to Business Insider, his attorneys argue against the use of “Jane Doe” or “John Doe” pseudonyms, pushing for public identification, a tactic some see as intimidation.
Douglas Wigdor, representing multiple accusers, noted, “The defendants who oppose the ‘Jane Doe’ status — I think are doing it primarily as a means to intimidate the victim.”
Over 55 lawsuits have been lodged against Combs in New York courts, alleging sexual assault, rape, and other violent acts, with about 40 filed anonymously. However, judges have ruled in five cases that accusers must disclose their names to proceed, with only one initially allowed anonymity before the case was dropped. Four accusers—Anna Kane, Anthony Tate, Candice McCrary, and Dexter Withers—have since refiled under their real names. Tony Buzbee, who is representing Tate, McCrary, and Withers, praised their bravery, saying, “It takes a lot of courage to come forward as an alleged victim in a high-profile case like this.”
Despite Combs’ denials of all allegations, his legal victories are pressuring accusers to either expose themselves or abandon their claims.
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Meanwhile, Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie, is set to take the stand in his upcoming federal trial, opting to testify under her name rather than anonymously. As TMZ reports, the singer was previously referred to in court documents as “Victim 1,” and testifying openly could prove pivotal, amplifying a case already steeped in controversy.
Combs faces several federal charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. While three other alleged victims will reportedly use pseudonyms to avoid harassment, Cassie’s identity has been public for months, largely due to a now-infamous surveillance video that surfaced last year. The footage, originally published by CNN, shows Diddy assaulting Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway.
The Bad Boy Records founder, who was arrested in September 2024 following raids on his properties in Los Angeles and Miami, is currently being held at MDC Brooklyn. His trial is scheduled to begin May 5. Diddy has pleaded not guilty and continues to deny all allegations.
READ MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Cassie Ventura to Testify in Diddy’s Sex Trafficking Trial
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