Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. has been named as a co-defendant in a lawsuit filed against hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. The lawsuit was originally brought in February by Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones, a producer for Diddy's "Love Album". However, on Monday, it was amended to include Cuba Gooding Jr. as a defendant.
The amendment also included a statement from Ethiopia Habtemariam, the former CEO of Motown Records, concerning technical licensing agreements, along with further evidence pertaining to allegations of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) violations and sex trafficking.
The filing of the second amended complaint coincided with Homeland Security Investigations conducting raids on Combs' properties in Holmby Hills and Miami, as part of an inquiry into sex trafficking allegations against the hip-hop mogul. Combs' attorney, Aaron Dyer, denounced the raids as an "unprecedented ambush," asserting Combs' innocence and commitment to clearing his name.
Jones accused Gooding of sexual assault, alleging that the actor made unwanted advances and engaged in inappropriate touching during an encounter on Combs' yacht in January 2023. Gooding, who has faced previous sexual assault allegations, has not responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit, initially filed in the U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleges a pattern of misconduct by Combs and his associates, including sexual harassment and assault. Jones claims to have endured unsolicited groping and advances from Combs, as well as witnessing illegal activities involving drugs and firearms.
Jones' lawsuit implicates a network of individuals and entities, including Combs' son Justin Dior Combs, Universal Music Group CEO Lucian Charles Grainge, and Motown Records, among others. The complaint alleges that Combs' association with these individuals facilitated his alleged sex trafficking enterprise.
In response to the lawsuit, representatives for Universal Music Group and Grainge condemned the allegations as "offensively reckless" and vowed to refute them vigorously. Despite legal challenges, Jones remains steadfast in his pursuit of justice, seeking to hold all involved parties accountable for their alleged actions.
The allegations against Combs and his associates continue to reverberate through the music industry, raising questions about accountability and the exploitation of power dynamics.
