Daybreak Richard arrives on the Latin American Music Awards on the Dolby Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, in Los Angeles.
Paul A. Hebert/Invision through AP
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Paul A. Hebert/Invision through AP
Former Danity Kane member Daybreak Richard has filed a lawsuit in opposition to Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging the hip-hop mogul sexually assaulted her, disadvantaged her of meals and sleep and refused to pay her adequately.
Richard additionally says within the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in a New York federal courtroom, that she witnessed Combs bodily abuse his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, on quite a few events, and noticed Combs and his associates partaking in unlawful medicine and sexual acts with underage ladies.
“Over the a long time following his rise to fame, Mr. Combs’ star-studded, larger-than-life persona overshadowed his vicious mood and pervasive acts of violence directed in the direction of these in his interior circle – particularly, girls,” the criticism says.
Richard claims she was disadvantaged of meals and sleep
Richard grew to become related to Combs in 2004 after auditioning for season three of his MTV actuality present, Making the Band. Richard alleges throughout auditions he known as feminine contestants names, together with “fats,” “ugly” and ““bi***.”
Richard says in the course of the manufacturing of the present, and in subsequent years, she and her bandmates have been pressured to rehearse for as much as 48 hours with no relaxation or meals. Richard says she misplaced a considerable quantity of weight and commenced getting rashes from the microphone pack she wore on her again throughout filming.
In a single occasion, Richard was exercising on the seaside and vomited. As an alternative of MTV offering medical help, crews filmed the incident, based on the criticism.
Richard says she was recognized in 2010 with anemia, a low white blood cell rely and arthralgia, or joint stiffness attributable to overuse, sprains and infections akin to rheumatic fever and chickenpox.
“Mr. Combs is shocked and disenchanted by this lawsuit. In an try and rewrite historical past, Daybreak Richard has now manufactured a sequence of false claims all within the hopes of attempting to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide together with her album launch and press tour,” Combs’ lawyer Erica Wolff mentioned in an announcement.
Richard says she was sexually assaulted, witnessed Combs abuse Ventura
Richard mentioned within the criticism that Combs would usually come into her dressing room unannounced. Whereas she was working with a stylist, he would contact her butt and round her breasts to sign the place the clothes ought to fall, based on the lawsuit.
Combs additionally often requested her to strip all the way down to her underwear in rehearsals, smacked Richard on the butt and carried out conferences in solely his underwear, the criticism alleges.
If Richard rebuffed Combs’ advances, he’d retaliate by leaving her off of songs and performances, based on the criticism.
Danity Kane disbanded in 2009, however Richard continued working with Combs as a member of the newly fashioned Diddy-Soiled Cash, a trio that included her, Combs and singer-songwriter Kalenna Harper.
Richard says she started fearing for her bodily security after she and Harper went to Combs’ house in Los Angeles. Combs got here into the kitchen and commenced berating Ventura for not cooking his eggs accurately, and proceeded to throw the pan at her and drag her up the steps, the lawsuit claims.
The subsequent day Combs allegedly purchased Richard and Harper flowers and mentioned what that they had witnessed “was only a lover’s argument the place nobody was harm … when you say something, there will likely be penalties.”
Ventura filed a lawsuit in opposition to Combs in November of final yr and settled out of courtroom. Months later, surveillance video appeared to point out Combs kicking and dragging Ventura within the corridor of a lodge. Ventura alleged Combs paid lodge employees $50,000 to safe footage of the incident.
On different events, Richard alleges Combs pulled Ventura out of a van by her neck and pinned her to the bottom; punched her within the face within the lavatory of a celebration; and punched her within the abdomen at a dinner in entrance of a number of high-profile celebrities, together with Interscope Information Founder Jimmy Iovine.
Iovine and Combs had allegedly simply struck a $50 million distribution deal for Combs’ music.
“Even after Mr. Iovine watched Mr. Combs commit a violent assault in entrance of quite a few high-profile witnesses, the Unhealthy Boy-Interscope deal befell and remained in impact, offering Mr. Combs with immense monetary rewards and enabling him to commit additional acts of violence with out concern of repercussions,” the criticism says.
Interscope Geffen A&M Information is known as as a defendant within the go well with.
Richard and Harper each tried to encourage Ventura to go away Combs and have been allegedly met with a litany of threats from him, akin to “you need to die at this time” and “I finish individuals.”
In accordance with the criticism, Richard additionally noticed the late Kim Porter – Combs’ former girlfriend and the mom of a number of of his kids – leaving a recording studio crying, with face accidents.
Richard’s father confronted Combs, criticism says
In December 2010, Diddy-Soiled Cash was getting ready for a efficiency on Saturday Evening Reside. Combs known as Richard eager to know her whereabouts. When she and Harper arrived on the studio, he repeatedly chided the ladies and known as them names, drawing the eye of individuals within the foyer, based on the criticism.
Richard allegedly requested Combs to cease, and he drew a fist as if he have been going to punch her. Combs’ bodyguard stepped in and escorted Richard out of the studio right into a automobile. Harper went after her, and the 2 have been locked within the automobile for a number of hours.
Richard had her cellphone together with her and known as her father. He arrived in New York from Baltimore just a few hours later and threatened to name the police on Combs, who allegedly instructed him to “take into consideration your loved ones” and “take into consideration your daughter’s profession,” the criticism says.
After the SNL efficiency, Combs allegedly instructed Richard, “You don’t name your dad except you’re within the hospital.”
Richard says she is owed cash for performances and publishing
After Danity Kane broke up, Richard’s songs have been nonetheless being recorded by different artists on Combs’ Unhealthy Boy Information. Richard was promised royalties and license charges, which she by no means acquired, she alleges.
Diddy-Soiled Cash discovered success, with hundreds of thousands of single gross sales. Richard estimates she is owed about $1.2 million in unpaid wages and royalties, greater than $350,000 for U.S. tour performances and not less than $1.5 million for her promotion of Ciroc, a vodka model Combs partnered with in 2007.
Richard additionally alleges she was not paid for her involvement in a deliberate reboot for Making the Band in 2020, wherein she was to look as a decide. The present was in limbo as a result of coronavirus pandemic.
“If Ms. Richard had such a damaging expertise with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she wouldn’t have chosen to proceed working immediately with Mr. Combs for Soiled Cash, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album final yr,” Wolff mentioned.
She added, “It’s unlucky that Ms. Richard has solid their 20-year friendship apart to attempt to get cash from him, however Mr. Combs is confidently standing on fact and appears ahead to proving that in courtroom.”
Richard is asking for a jury trial; compensatory damages, akin to misplaced wages, royalties, publishing and touring; compensation for extreme emotional misery; civil penalties; punitive damages and lawyer’s charges.
