LOS ANGELES – music producer Kim is suing Sean “Diddy” Combs It doubles down on allegations that Combs and his son were involved in a 2022 shooting at a Los Angeles recording studio, as well as allegations of harassment.
Combs was sued on February 26 by the producer of her latest album, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, who claims Combs sexually assaulted, drugged and threatened her while traveling and living with her from September 2022 to November 2023.
In the preliminary complaint filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Jones also detailed the shooting at a “writers and producers camp” held on September 12, 2022 at Chalice Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Jones, he told Combs; Combs son Justin; and a friend of Justin’s known as “G” was there.
The details provided in that complaint and the amended complaint filed Monday differ from the information about the shooting provided by the Los Angeles Police Department and Combs’ attorney, Shawn Holley.
The lawsuit also alleges that Combs is part of a “RICO enterprise” and that he and others are involved in a “sex trafficking enterprise.” A RICO enterprise is when individuals or groups act together to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which is designed to target organized crime. Complaint is the latest legal problem For Combs, who has recently faced a string of lawsuits, including multiple allegations of sexual harassment.
Shooting
In the original complaint, Jones reported hearing multiple gunshots after a “heated conversation” in a nearby bathroom. When the bathroom door opened, Combs and her son stepped outside to find Jones G “lying on the bathroom floor in a fetal position, holding his stomach and bleeding from the leg/hip area.”
Jones said he brought the victim to the front of the studio where an ambulance was waiting. The Los Angeles Fire Department did not respond to a request for additional information about the shooting last week.
Jones claimed that Combs instructed him to tell the police that Combs had nothing to do with the shooting and that it was caused by an assailant who drove up outside the studio. Jones maintained that G was not shot outside the Chalice.
Chalice Recording Studio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. He also did not respond to an earlier request for comment last week.
The redacted documents include a message purportedly sent by Chalice to an unnamed person: “The shooting happened half a block from Chalice and it was the result of a robbery. There are police reports that confirm this. Wait for the facts before you start contributing to the slander of our organization.”
This coincides with Holly’s understanding of the sequence of events.
“When the LAPD arrived on the scene, it was immediately determined that the shooting had taken place some distance from the studio,” he said.
The amended complaint also cites a media report claiming that Holly G went to the studio after she was shot.
But Jones’ original suit alleges that the LAPD was inside the Chalice and “witnessed the blood in the toilet,” but still “went with the false claim” that the filming took place outside the studio.
The original documents include screenshots showing “the results of the toilet where G was shot by either Mr. Combs or J. Combs.” NBC News was unable to identify the red liquid depicted in the screenshots. Jones also claimed to be in possession of the clothing he was wearing on the day of the shooting, which he said may contain the shooting victim’s DNA.
The redacted documents also include a photo of Combs allegedly in the studio on the night in question. Combs and his son were not in the studio when police arrived, the complaint says, and alleges that while police investigated, Combs and his son “hid” in another studio and were the first to leave after the officers left.
“I think I realized Sean and Justin were in a completely different part of the studio when the fire victim was running to the bathroom,” Holley said Monday, contesting that account.
He added that he does not believe police questioned Combs or his son.
NBC News has not confirmed whether Combs or her son were interviewed. Capt. Kelly Muniz said Saturday that the LAPD would not comment on the pending civil suit or any of the specific allegations.
On Feb. 27, representatives for Justin Combs denied the allegations in the original complaint, calling them “absurd” and “false,” saying that “ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family will have legal consequences.”
LAPD account
Los Angeles police said officers responded to a call about a possible shooting on Sept. 12, 2022, in the 800 block of N. Highland Avenue — the same block as Chalice.
According to the police, the victim said that when he was near his car parked on the street, two men approached him, demanded his property, and after an argument, shot him in the torso.
Two months later, police arrested three men and claimed they were responsible for a series of robberies throughout the city and possibly elsewhere. That includes the Sept. 12 shooting, a police spokesman told NBC News.
On Tuesday, Holley told NBC News that Los Angeles police had confirmed that the shooting did not occur at or near the studio, that Combs was not a suspect and that those involved were being prosecuted.
The LAPD did not specifically respond to the initial allegations detailed in the original complaint, but a source familiar with the investigation told NBC News that Combs has not been charged. NBC News has not confirmed whether Combs has been interviewed.
The special investigator named in the amended complaint
In the original complaint, Jones alleged that Combs called Jones in August 2022 and asked Jones to produce several songs on his Grammy-nominated R&B album The Love Album: Off the Grid, which was released in September 2023.
Jones alleged in her original complaint that Combs sexually assaulted and harassed Jones on multiple occasions during the time they lived and worked together. She said she had to go to sex workers and have sex with them to please Combs.
In one incident Jones claims took place in February of last year, she said she woke up naked, dizzy and confused in bed with Combs and two sex workers and believed Combs had drugged her.
In the original complaint, Jones said she had hundreds of hours of video and audio to support her sexual assault claims because Combs often demanded Jones “constantly record her.” Video and audio of Combs, his staff and guests allegedly show them “engaging in serious illegal activity.”
On February 26, Combs’ attorney Holley called Jones’ claims in the original documents “absolutely false,” adding, “We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who made them.”
In the lawsuit filed Feb. 26, Jones described Combs as “forceful and demanding” and someone who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Jones alleged that Combs, one of the most influential people in the music industry, used his power to intimidate Jones, including threats of bodily harm to Jones if he did not comply with Combs’ demands.
“Mr. Combs has consistently made it clear that he wields great power in the music industry and in law enforcement,” the lawsuit states.
In the amended complaint, Jones alleged that he learned last week that a private investigator he claims was connected to Combs had sought out, harassed and bribed a close friend to “provide dirt” on Jones.
Jones claimed that the investigator tried to bribe a friend to prepare evidence to “smear Mr. Jones.” The petition alleges that Jones’ friend now fears for their safety and that of their family after the alleged communication.
Representatives for Combs did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday about the special investigator’s allegation.
Jones claims he was not paid to work on his latest album
Jones also claimed in a Feb. 26 filing that she was not paid for her work on Love Album: Off the Grid despite being “under contract of employment.” The lawsuit alleges that Combs, Love Records, Motown Records and Universal Music Group benefited from her work, but she was not compensated. Love Records, Motown Records and Universal Music Group did not respond to an earlier request for comment.
In an amended complaint filed Monday, Jones told the recruiter that when he was hired to work on “The Love Album,” he wanted $20,000 per song, 4 royalty points, credit as a producer, credit for every instrument played on the songs. and retention of its publishing rights.
Jones said he and his employer verbally agreed to the terms. Combs vouched that the terms were “accepted.” That’s why Jones signed on to the project, the complaint says.
The amended complaint alleges Jones suffered damages including $220,000, 4 royalty points and production credit for nine songs. He is asking for $30 million.
“Suing should never be the first option in a dispute. We can have an honest discussion to resolve the issues as I suggested, or we can follow the same plan used by Shawn Holley who convicted his clients Danny Masterson and Tory Lanez. For Mr. Combs, it makes one wonder who is really running this situation,” Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, said Monday.
In a Feb. 26 response to a request for comment, Blackburn used the Latin phrase “res ipsa loquitur,” loosely translated as “the thing speaks for itself,” to refer to the lawsuit.
Universal Music Group and its chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment on the amended complaint.
Previous suits
In addition to Jones’ lawsuit, four women filed separate lawsuits against Combs late last year, all accusing him of sexual harassment.
The first was given by singer Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura. She said Combs physically assaulted her and forced her to have sex with male prostitutes while she masturbated and recorded it. Suit it was resolved a day after it was issuedbut Combs’ attorney said at the time that it was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing.”
After Cassie’s claim, two more women— Lisa Gardner and Joie Dickerson-Neal – Filed a lawsuit against Combs claiming she was sexually assaulted.
Later, a woman, identified in court documents only as Jane Doe, filed another lawsuit alleging Combs and two other men gang-raped her when she was 17 years old and Combs was 34.
Those three cases against Combs are still pending. In Doe’s case, a court ruled Thursday that she cannot remain anonymous if the case proceeds.
In a statement in December, Combs denied the allegations against him, saying “enough is enough” and calling the allegations against him “painful.”
“I will be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the terrible things alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and the truth,” he said in a statement at the time.
Diana Dasrath and Andrew Blankstein reported from Los Angeles and Rebecca Cohen reported from New York.