SEAN “DIDDY” COMBS LEGAL UPDATE
SEAN COMBS GETS INMATES TO DO HIS CHORES FOR HIM
BY SNN.BZ STAFF
April 21, 2025 – Sean “Diddy” Combs, the music mogul and founder of Bad Boy Records, remains embroiled in a series of high-profile lawsuits and a federal criminal case that have thrust his personal and professional life into the spotlight. As Combs awaits trial on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, set for May 12, 2025, new and old allegations continue to surface, including renewed scrutiny over a 1999 nightclub shooting involving his ex-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez. This article provides an update on Combs’s legal battles, detailing all known lawsuits by name and date, and examines whether Lopez will be called to testify about the infamous 1999 incident.
Criminal Charges and Federal Investigation
Combs, 55, was arrested in September 2024 and indicted on three counts: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. A subsequent indictment in April 2025 added five counts, including additional racketeering and sex trafficking charges. Federal prosecutors allege Combs orchestrated a “pervasive pattern of abuse” through his businesses, involving coerced sexual encounters, drug-fueled parties, and violence against women since at least 2008. He has pleaded not guilty and remains detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, having been denied bail twice due to concerns over witness tampering.
Homeland Security raids on Combs’s Los Angeles and Miami homes in March 2024 intensified the federal investigation, prompting speculation about past incidents, including the 1999 Club New York shooting. Combs’s legal team has called the raids an “unprecedented ambush” and denies all allegations, labeling some lawsuits as “meritless” and motivated by financial gain.
Civil Lawsuits Against Combs
Combs faces multiple civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault, trafficking, and related misconduct. Below is a comprehensive list of lawsuits mentioned in the sources, including names and filing dates where available:
- Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura Lawsuit
- Filed: November 2023
- Details: Ventura, Combs’s ex-girlfriend, alleged rape, sex trafficking, and physical abuse, including claims that Combs forced her to hold his firearms. The lawsuit was settled the day after filing for an undisclosed sum. A 2016 video of Combs assaulting Ventura in a hotel, later publicized, corroborated parts of her claims, though Combs denied the broader allegations.
- Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. Lawsuit
- Filed: February 2024
- Details: Jones, a music producer, filed a $30 million lawsuit accusing Combs of sexual assault, harassment, and fraud. The suit claims Combs bragged about bribing witnesses and jurors in the 1999 nightclub shooting and admitted to firing the gun, with Jennifer Lopez allegedly carrying the weapon into the club for him. Combs’s attorney, Shawn Holley, dismissed Jones as a “liar” seeking an “undeserved payday.”
- April Lampros Lawsuit
- Filed: May 23, 2024
- Details: Lampros, a former Fashion Institute of Technology student, alleged Combs drugged and sexually assaulted her four times between the mid-1990s and early 2000s, during his relationship with Lopez. She claimed Combs threatened her with harm if she disobeyed.
- Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith Lawsuit
- Filed: 2024 (exact date unspecified in sources)
- Details: Cardello-Smith, a Michigan inmate, sued Combs for $400 million, alleging a 1997 sexual assault at a hotel party where Combs spiked his drink. Cardello-Smith plans to call Jennifer Lopez as a witness, though no specific connection to the 1999 shooting is detailed in this suit.
- LaTroya Grayson Lawsuit
- Filed: 2024 (exact date unspecified, reported as “Friday” before December 22, 2024)
- Details: Grayson, an Oklahoma woman, filed a $15 million lawsuit claiming Combs drugged and sexually assaulted her at a 2006 New York City party, leading to ongoing depression, anxiety, and intimacy issues. Combs’s lawyers denied the allegations, noting Grayson’s lack of memory and no direct interaction with Combs.
These lawsuits, spanning decades, have fueled public and legal scrutiny of Combs’s conduct, with accusers alleging a pattern of violence and manipulation. Combs’s legal team consistently denies the claims, arguing they are baseless or exaggerated.
The 1999 Nightclub Shooting: Will Jennifer Lopez Testify?
The 1999 Club New York shooting, which injured three people, including Natania Reuben, who claims Combs shot her in the face, has resurfaced amid his current legal troubles. On December 27, 1999, Combs, then 31, and Jennifer Lopez, 29, were at the Manhattan nightclub when a dispute escalated into gunfire. Combs, Lopez, his bodyguard Anthony “Wolf” Jones, and rapper Jamal “Shyne” Barrow were arrested after fleeing the scene in a Lincoln Navigator, where police found a stolen firearm.
- Charges and Outcomes: Lopez was detained for 14 hours but released without charges. Combs and Jones faced gun possession and bribery charges, with prosecutors alleging Combs offered driver Wardel Fenderson $50,000 to claim ownership of the gun. Both were acquitted in 2001. Barrow, convicted of assault, gun possession, and reckless endangerment, served nearly nine years. No one was convicted for the shooting itself.
- Current Relevance: The Rodney Jones lawsuit alleges Combs admitted to the shooting and claims Lopez carried the gun into the club, prompting renewed interest. Natania Reuben, a victim, has called for the case to be reopened, offering to have bullet fragments removed from her face as evidence. Shyne, now a Belizean politician, claims Combs betrayed him by testifying against him, further alleging a cover-up.
- Jennifer Lopez’s Potential Involvement: New York lawyer Pete Gleason has stated Lopez could be subpoenaed as a witness due to her “firsthand knowledge” of the 1999 incident, as she was present and fled with Combs. The Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith lawsuit also names Lopez as a potential witness, though its connection to 1999 is unclear. Combs’s legal team is actively seeking to exclude evidence of the 1999 shooting from the upcoming trial, arguing it is irrelevant and prejudicial, which could limit Lopez’s involvement.
- Likelihood of Testimony: As of April 21, 2025, there is no definitive confirmation that Lopez will testify. Prosecutors seek to use the 1999 incident to establish a pattern of criminal behavior, but Combs’s lawyers’ motions to suppress this evidence, filed in April 2025, may succeed. Lopez has remained silent on Combs’s legal issues, with sources indicating she is “disturbed” by the allegations and wishes to avoid revisiting the “nightmare” of 1999.
- Her team is reportedly on “high alert” to manage potential fallout. If the court admits the 1999 evidence and deems Lopez’s testimony relevant, she could be subpoenaed, particularly in the Jones or Cardello-Smith cases. However, legal experts suggest any testimony would be limited by the statute of limitations, as the incident is beyond prosecution unless new criminal charges arise.
Lopez’s involvement remains speculative, driven by her presence at the scene and allegations in civil suits. Social media, including X posts from 2024, has fueled conspiracy theories about her role, with some claiming she helped cover up Combs’s actions. However, supporters, like Thea de Sousa, who worked with Lopez, insist she was unaware of Combs’s alleged misconduct, emphasizing her work-focused nature.
Public and Industry Impact
Combs’s legal woes have reverberated across the entertainment industry, with former associates like Shyne and accusers like Reuben breaking their silence. His A-list connections, including Lopez, face scrutiny, with Elon Musk publicly questioning Lopez’s silence on Combs’s allegations during a 2024 podcast. Combs reportedly expected Lopez and other exes to defend him, but most have distanced themselves.
The 1999 shooting has also sparked debate about justice, with Reuben and Shyne alleging a cover-up facilitated by Combs’s influence. A Hulu documentary by Shyne, exploring the incident, prompted a cease-and-desist from Combs’s team, who argue it misrepresents facts.
What’s Next?
As Combs’s trial approaches, jury selection begins May 5, 2025, with opening statements on May 12. The outcome of his team’s motions to exclude evidence, including the 1999 shooting and the Cassie Ventura video, will shape the case’s scope. For Lopez, the risk of being subpoenaed persists, particularly if civil lawsuits progress or new evidence prompts a re-investigation of 1999.
The global attention on Combs’s case, amplified by X posts and media coverage, underscores its scandalous nature. Whether Lopez will face a courtroom remains uncertain, but her past with Combs continues to haunt her public image. For now, Combs’s legal battles show no signs of slowing, with each lawsuit peeling back layers of his controversial legacy.
