A federal judge has dismissed singer Dawn Richard’s lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, ruling that most of her allegations of emotional and physical abuse, including groping, were not filed in the required year after the described events.
In a decision dated Friday and made public on Monday, Judge Katherine Polk Failla said Richard may pursue one allegation against the hip-hop mogul in state court, but cannot revive claims that exceeded New York’s statute of limitations by more than a decade.
The judge wrote that the court’s decision “exists independently of its disapprobation of the factual allegations, which, if true, are execrable.” The ruling, therefore, did not address the merits of the allegations but rather whether they were brought within the time allowed by law.
Arick Fudali, an attorney representing Richard, said the singer intends to refile her primary claim under New York’s gender-motivated violence act.
“We certainly agree with the Judge that the allegations in this case are execrable,” Fudali said in a statement sent by email, repeating “execrable,” which means extremely bad. “We intend to continue to fight for Dawn until justice is achieved.”
Lawyers for Combs did not immediately return requests for comment. When the lawsuit was filed in September 2024, his representatives said Combs was “shocked and disappointed” by the lawsuit and questioned why Richard would work with him so long if he were so bad.
Richard, a singer in the Bad Boy Records groups Danity Kane and Diddy — Dirty Money from 2004 to 2012, testified at last year’s New York trial where Combs was convicted on prostitution-related charges but was acquitted of more serious sex trafficking charges.
She told the jury in Manhattan federal court that she saw Combs beat his girlfriend in 2009 and that Combs later threatened her to remain silent about what she witnessed.
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. Terms apply.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
In her lawsuit, Richard alleged that during her eight-year association with Combs, she suffered abuse, manipulation and violence and was subjected to Combs routinely using disparaging language to describe women.
According to the lawsuit, Combs regularly deprived Richard and her bandmates of food and sleep and made her feel embarrassed and powerless when he angrily responded to her request that he clothe himself when he held meetings in his underwear.
The lawsuit also alleged that Richard was regularly subjected to drug-fueled parties where Combs and his friends would perform sexual acts on incapacitated young women.
She claimed Combs regularly exploded in rage, hurling cellular phones, laptops, food and studio equipment. At other times, the lawsuit said, Richard witnessed him choking and strangling his protege and longtime girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura.
Ventura testified for several days at the trial that resulted in a four-year, two-month prison sentence for Combs.
