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A New York Judge has dismissed 5 out of 9 claims made by producer Lil Rod against the “I’ll be missing you” rapper, Sean Diddy Combs. Music producer Rodney Lil Rod Jones Jr. filed a lawsuit against Sean Diddy Combs, alleging sexual harassment, drugging, and threats during the production of The Love Album: Off the Grid between
September 2022 and September 2023. Jones claimed that Combs sexually harassed and assaulted him, coerced him into hiring prostitutes, and failed to compensate him properly for his work on the album. Combs’ adult son, Justin; his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam are also named as defendants in Jones filing.
Recently, U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken granted a partial motion to dismiss five of Jones claims, including those under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), breach of contract, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and two counts of intentional infliction of emotional distress. However, the judge allowed other claims, such as sexual assault and premises liability, to proceed.
Despite these dismissals, the judge allowed significant portions of the lawsuit to proceed, upholding claims of sexual assault, premises liability, and violations of the Trafficking Victims Prevention Act (TVPA) against Combs and his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram. Jones alleges that Combs subjected him to unwanted sexual contact, drugged him, and coerced him into soliciting and engaging with sex workers during the album's production.
The court found insufficient evidence for the RICO Act violation and dismissed the emotional distress and breach of contract claims due to inadequate pleading and the absence of a written agreement. Jones attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, views the partial ruling as a victory and anticipates further discovery. Combs legal team denies the allegations, asserting that he has never engaged in sexual misconduct and believes he will be vindicated in court.
