An attorney said on Tuesday he is representing 120 accusers who have come forward with sexual misconduct allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs, the hip-hop mogul who is awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Newsonspot reports that Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee said he expects lawsuits to be filed within the next month.
Mr Buzbee described the victims as 60 males and 60 females, and that 25 were minors at the time of the alleged misconduct – with one as young as nine years old.
Combs, 54, has been locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn since pleading not guilty on September 17 to federal charges that he used his “power and prestige” to induce female victims into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers in events dubbed “Freak Offs”.
Following the news conference in Texas, an attorney for Combs said the performer “cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus”.
“That said, Mr Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors,” lawyer Erica Wolff said in a statement.“He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court if and when claims are filed and served, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”
Mr Buzbee has also represented women who accused NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson of sexual assault.
Buzbee said more than 3,280 individuals contacted his firm and alleged they were assaulted in different ways by Combs.
After vetting the allegations, Buzbee explained his firm decided to represent 120 people.
The individuals that Buzbee’s firm is representing are from more than 25 states, with the majority from California, New York, Georgia and Florida.
The alleged abuse took place mostly at parties held in New York, California and Florida where individuals were given drinks that were laced with drugs, Buzbee said.
Other instances reportedly unfolded at auditions where “many times – especially young people, people wanting to break into the industry – were coerced into this type of conduct in the promise of being made a star”, Buzbee said.
Combs is one of the best-known music executives, producers and performers in hip-hop, having won three Grammys and worked with artists across the musical spectrum.
