[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
A songwriter behind some of pop’s greatest hits has been accused of rape and sex trafficking in a new lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
On Tuesday, The-Dream was accused of trapping a woman named Chanaaz Mangroe in an “abusive, violent and manipulative relationship filled with physical assaults, violent sexual encounters and horrific psychological manipulation.” In the court filing, via Us Weekly and various reports, she claims that the rapper, born Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, reached out to her on Instagram in 2014, promising he could help with her singing career. He even allegedly offered her a spot as an opener for Beyoncé — but that never came to be.
Related: Diddy Allegedly Beat & Threatened To Kill Music Exec Who Dated Ex Kim Porter!
However, she claims that the musician began controlling her life when she was 23 — even making her “check in” with him several times a day while she was forced to isolate at a hotel. Per People, the female singer was born in the the Netherlands and The-Dream tried to gain her “complete trust” by sponsoring the extension of her international visa while also offering “lofty visions” of contracts with major labels and more. The next year, in 2015, the songwriter allegedly started committing “violent acts” against her, which included locking her “in a dark room adjacent to a recording studio, violently having sex with her and then leaving her alone, naked in the dark, for hours on end, returning to again have sex with her and demand that she tell him she loved him.”
JFC.
Several other instances of rape and abuse were also detailed in the lawsuit as well as claims that the Grammy winner used the victim for sex trafficking. She was allegedly forced to have sex with multiple men across different states, including having to “perform oral sex on him” while another dude watched, and recorded the sexual acts to threaten her into silence.
In a statement, Chanaaz opened up about why she is now opening up about this, saying:
“Choosing to speak out about the trauma I survived has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life, but ultimately, what Dream did to me made it impossible to live the life I envisioned for myself and pursue my goals as a singer and songwriter. Ultimately, my silence has become too painful, and I realized that I need to tell my story to heal.”
But The-Dream is already clapping back. The 46-year-old denied all the allegations, telling The New York Times:
“These claims are untrue and defamatory. I oppose all forms of harassment and have always strived to help people realize their career goals. As someone committed to making a positive impact on my fellow artists and the world at large, I am deeply offended and saddened by these accusations.”
As mentioned, The-Dream is a prolific producer and songwriter who has worked on the last five Beyoncé albums, including nine songs on Cowboy Carter. He’s also known for Britney Spears’ Me Against the Music, Rihanna’s Umbrella, Mariah Carey’s Touch My Body, and Justin Bieber’s Baby. Plus, he’s released several of his own albums. Certainly a powerful person in the industry, so it could not have been an easy decision to speak out!
Our hearts go out to all victims of sexual violence!
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 Grammys/YouTube & The-Dream/Instagram]
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