Sean 'Diddy' Combs will temporarily stand down as Chair of the TV company he co-founded ten years ago, Revolt, as he fights two lawsuits that accuse him of sexual assault in relation to incidents that allegedly occurred in the 1990s.
A statement on Revolt’s Instagram profile reads: “Sean Combs has stepped down from his position as Chairman of Revolt. While Mr Combs has previously had no operational or day-to-day role in the business, this decision helps to ensure that Revolt remains steadfastly focused on our mission to create meaningful content for the culture and amplify the voices of all black people throughout this country and the African diaspora”.
A total of three women filed lawsuits against Combs earlier this month utilising New York State's Adult Survivors Act. That provided a twelve month window during which victims of sexual assault or abuse could file new legal proceedings even if alleged incidents occurred sufficiently long ago that a legal claim would usually be barred by the statute of limitations. The deadline for filing lawsuits under the Act was last Friday.
One of Combs' accusers was his former partner Cassie Ventura. However, her lawsuit was settled within a day of it being filed. In the second lawsuit Joi Dickerson-Neal accuses Combs of sexually assaulting her in 1991 and, in the third, an unnamed woman claims that Combs and R&B singer Aaron Hall sexually assaulted her and a friend after a music industry event in 1990 or 1991.
Combs has denied all the allegations against him, with a representative for the rapper stating: "The claims involving alleged misconduct against Mr Combs from over 30 years ago and filed at the last minute are all completely denied and rejected by him. He recognises this as a money grab. Because of Mr Combs’ fame and success, he is an easy target for accusers who will falsify the truth, without conscience or consequence, for financial benefit".