Diddy was recently served a minor victory in court this week. A judge dismissed majority of claims against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in a $30 million lawsuit former music producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones filed last February. He levelled severe sexual assault and sexual harassment allegations against the disgraced rapper while he lived him with him at his Florida, Los Angeles and New York homes and a yacht Diddy rented in the US Virgin Islands.
Jones also accused him of drugging and threatening him for more than a year. Jones even named Diddy’s chief of staff Kristina Khorram, his son Justin, and his company Combs Global as defendants in the filing. The Revolt founder denied all allegations at the time. Additionally, Combs filed for the suit to be dismissed and slammed it as a cash grab.
Diddy’s legal win: Charges dismissed in $30m lawsuit
His stand now appears to be legally binding — but only to an extent — as New York federal judge J Paul Oetken tossed five of the nine claims Rodney Jones listed against the music mogul, according to Rolling Stone, Variety and TMZ. These included infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract claims. The court has also cleared Diddy’s company, Combs Global, of a Trafficking Victims Protection Act claim.
The dismissed charges also include a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act) claim, which Rodney was pursuing in the wake of Diddy allegedly not paying him for his work on the 2023 record “The Love Album: Off the Grid.”
“[Combs’] alleged refusal to honor the contract with Jones is not itself a RICO predicate act, even if the contract breach resulted from Jones’s refusal to participate in Combs’s alleged racketeering scheme,” the judge stated, per Rolling Stone.
The situation further spiralled out of Rodney’s hands as the judge severely lashed out at his lawyer, Tyrone A Blackburn, in court. While questioning his legal filings, the judge turned to how they actively ignored that Diddy was presumed innocent in a separate grand jury indictment on criminal charges.
Diddy’s sexual assault claims will proceed
Despite this small victory on the rapper’s hands, the case is moving ahead. Even though the major chunk of Rodney Jones’ lawsuit was torched in this latest development, serious sexual assault allegations against Diddy are still very much standing. Trafficking claims against the rapper and Khorram will also proceed.
As the case moves ahead, it remains to be seen if the allegations ultimately fuel a trial. For the time being, the former music producer’s lawyer told TMZ, “Yeah a win is a win, playtime is over we look forward to discovery. I hope Defendants are ready.”