“I Was Told to Make Sure He Found Me Attractive” Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs faces another assault lawsuit by model
(loopnews)
Model Crystal McKinney has filed a lawsuit against a well-known rapper, accusing him of drugging and sexually assaulting her at his New York City studio in 2003, according to legal documents obtained by E! News on May 21. McKinney, who has worked with notable brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Macy’s, alleges in her lawsuit that the incident occurred after she was invited to a Men’s Fashion Week dinner at Cipriani Downtown.
According to the filing, McKinney was encouraged by an anonymous designer to attend the dinner where she would meet Sean Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records. The designer suggested that this introduction could significantly advance her modeling career. Prior to the event, McKinney, who was 22 at the time, claims she was instructed to dye her hair and purchase a new outfit to ensure she caught Combs’s eye.
The lawsuit describes that during the dinner, Combs made “flirtatious” remarks towards McKinney and promised to help her “make it big one day.” She was subsequently invited to his studio to “get to know her better.” Once at the studio, the filing alleges that Combs and an associate pressured McKinney into smoking and drinking excessively, which made her feel like she was “floating.”
The suit claims that Combs then coerced McKinney into following him into the bathroom, where he “began kissing her without her consent.” McKinney alleges that she became unconscious shortly afterward and later woke up “in shock,” finding herself in the back of a taxi headed to the designer’s apartment.
McKinney is now seeking compensatory and punitive damages through her lawsuit, as well as coverage for her attorneys’ fees and costs. She is also demanding a trial by jury. The case highlights significant allegations of misconduct in the entertainment industry, touching on issues of consent, manipulation, and the misuse of power dynamics in professional settings.
The lawsuit has stirred a considerable public response, as it adds to the ongoing dialogue about sexual assault and accountability in high-profile industries. McKinney’s allegations underscore the challenges faced by models and others in vulnerable positions within the entertainment and fashion industries, where promises of career advancement are sometimes shadowed by experiences of exploitation and harm.
