This just keeps getting worse and worse. Whoa.
On Thursday, attorney Tony Buzbee of the Buzbee Law Firm in Texas announced on his Instagram page that his firm plans to file a lawsuit against Diddy on behalf of 50 VICTIMS!
He explained the firm was asked by the Ava Law Group “to act as Lead Counsel to pursue claims on behalf of more than fifty individuals who suffered sexual assault and abuse at the hands of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and his cohorts.” He called the group — which is made up of “both men and women” — “brave” for speaking out. He also noted that “many were minors when the abuse occurred.” Oof. Horrific.
Related: Diddy’s Attorney Blames RACISM For His Criminal Charges! Seriously?!
According to the lawyer, some of the alleged victims “reported the incidents to the police” while “others did not.” It does not appear as though he has filed a formal lawsuit on their behalf yet, but he plans to hold a press conference early next week “where some of these stories can be told as the nation learns more and grapples with the potential scope of this scandal.” And the stories, he claimed, are truly disturbing. Sounds like it.
Elsewhere in the statement, the legal professional said that “each individual story is gut wrenching and heartbreaking,” noting that the “acts complained of occurred at hotels, private homes, and also at the infamous PDiddy ‘Freak Off’ parties.”
“Freak Offs,” as the rapper called them, were events usually beginning at the end of his huge parties, in the early morning hours. Per the indictment, Diddy would force men and women at these freak offs, often sex workers, into nonconsensual sex acts, which he would sometimes film and masturbate to. The drug and alcohol-fueled activities would sometimes last days at a time, and he’d allegedly have to give victims IV bags to recover.
Buzbee went on to say the alleged “violations” of his clients are “mindboggling,” describing it as “debauchery and depravity, exacted by powerful people against minors and the weak.” Despite the already staggering number of victims he is representing, he expects the number to “grow” as the case “progresses” and believes “many other individuals will be implicated.” Jeez.
Concluding the statement, he said on behalf of his team:
“If you know of an individual seeking assistance who was abused as described above, please don’t hesitate to encourage them to contact our Firm. The consultation is confidential. www.txattorneys.com“
See his full statement (below):
View this post on Instagram
Just awful…
This will be just one of many sexual and physical abuse lawsuits the A-lister is already facing — along with charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors have claimed Diddy was the head of a “criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in […] sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.” He was arrested last week on these charges but pleaded not guilty. He has also denied all previous allegations made in various lawsuits.
Our hearts go out to all those now coming forward. Never an easy thing to do — but a crucial one.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
[Image via Judy Eddy/WENN]