Vikram
Cassie and Diddy have settled their explosive lawsuit over allegations of rape and sex trafficking, according to statements from both parties. The singer and the rap mogul announced on Friday that they have reached an “amicable resolution” of their legal dispute, without disclosing any details.
The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, accused Diddy of coercing Cassie into having sex with him and other men, physically abusing her, and exploiting her for financial gain. Cassie claimed that Diddy had violated the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the Violence Against Women Act, and several state laws. She sought unspecified damages and a jury trial.
Diddy denied the allegations and called them “false and baseless”. He said that he had a consensual relationship with Cassie for over a decade, and that he had supported her career and personal growth. He also said that he had never engaged in sex trafficking or sexual assault, and that he had never harmed Cassie in any way.
The settlement comes as a surprise, as both parties seemed ready to fight in court. Cassie attended the hearing in person on Thursday, while Diddy was represented by his lawyers. The judge denied Diageo’s motion to dismiss the case or to force it into arbitration, which would have avoided a public trial.
The lawsuit also revealed the end of Diddy’s 15-year partnership with Diageo, the spirits maker that co-owned his DeLeón tequila and Ciroc vodka brands. Diddy sued Diageo in May, alleging that the company had discriminated against him and his brands based on his race. He said that Diageo had labeled his products as “urban”, “African American” and “black”, and had failed to market them to a wider audience. Diageo responded that Diddy had made nearly $1 billion from the partnership, and that his claims were “bad-faith actions”.
Diageo confirmed on Tuesday that it had cut ties with Diddy, and that it had filed a motion to dismiss his lawsuit. The company said that Diddy had “clearly breached his contracts and left us no choice but to… end our business relationship”.
Cassie and Diddy have not commented on the status of their partnership with Diageo, or on the impact of the settlement on their careers and reputations. The former couple dated from 2007 to 2018, and have a son together. Cassie is now married to Alex Fine, a personal trainer, and has a daughter with him. Diddy is reportedly dating Joy Chavis, a model and entrepreneur.
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