A Harris County woman, Thalia Graves, has filed a federal lawsuit in New York against Sean "Diddy" Combs, alleging the popstar drugged and raped her in 2001. Graves, age 25 at the time of the alleged assault, claimed that Combs and his bodyguard, Joseph Sherman, orchestrated the attack which was subsequently recorded. The Houston Chronicle reports that Graves was dating one of Combs' employees, and Combs is said to have used this relationship to isolate her for the alleged crime.
Per the lawsuit, the attack had severe and ongoing effects on Graves, who stated, "The combination of physical and emotional pain has created a sense of suffering from which it is hard to break free." She also said that she has been plagued by PTSD, depression, and anxiety — issues corroborated by KHOU, which obtained a statement from the news conference. During the revelation of these accusations, Combs has been in jail awaiting federal trial for sex trafficking and racketeering charges, maintaining his innocence through statements from his lawyers.
According to court documents, subsequent to the alleged assault, Graves told her then-boyfriend who discouraged reporting the incident, fearing negative impacts on his career. As both publications highlighted, in the years to follow, threats from Combs and Sherman allegedly kept Graves silent. Graves has since again been victimized, having to relive her trauma as she learned the assault had been recorded and shared. She filed the suit under New York City's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act and is seeking unspecified damages and the destruction of all recordings of the incident.
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York encouraged any other potential victims to come forward. At her news conference, detailed by KHOU, Graves also speaks to the shame and isolation that often made her feel "worthless" and "isolated," revealing the deeply personal and lasting consequences of the alleged assault.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, but the lawsuit adds complexity to his situation. Graves' representation by notable attorney Gloria Allred suggests the legal battle may be extensively fought.
