Sean “Diddy” Combs is being sued over an incident that happened in 2001 and recently resurfaced with grave allegations. Thalia Graves, in her early forties, has come forward with allegations of being drugged and raped at Bad Boy Records studio in New York City. The lawsuit, filed on September 24, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, brought to life painful memories Graves has carried for over two decades.
Graves, in a tearful news conference on September 24, spoke painful details of the incident she claimed had changed her life and scarred her. A tearful Graves sat flanked by her attorney, Gloria Allred, and was overcome by emotion as she set out to describe how the events of that night left her emotionally scarred.
“The pain inside since I was sexually assaulted has been so profound and even difficult to articulate,” Graves said, her voice cracking with emotion. “It’s a pain that goes down into the pit of who you are and scars into emotional scars that may never heal.”
Graves, then only 25, said she was lured into the studio under the guise of a sit-down with Combs and his then-bodyguard, Joseph Sherman, to discuss her issues with her boyfriend. What was supposed to be a professional meeting quickly became a nightmare.
Among other things, in the complaint filed, Graves claims that Combs and Sherman lured her to a meeting in the summer of 2001 at the Bad Boy Records studio to discuss her boyfriend’s performance issues at the company.
During the course of the evening, Graves was offered a glass of wine that she believes Combs had laced with a drug that caused her to become unconscious. After regaining consciousness, Graves-who was still bound and restrained-alleged that Combs and Sherman violently raped her.
Graves claims therein that she had been served a glass of wine which she believes was drugged, rendering her unconscious. In fact, when she came to her senses she found herself tied down and alleged that both Combs and Sherman had raped her.
The rape trauma has manifested in Graves in the forms of conditions that include PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation, the filing said. She has undergone extensive treatment for the psychological manifestations of the incident since it happened.
Graves refers to herself as emotionally scarred, states that the pain reaches into the core of who she is. Emotional scarring was further completed by the feeling of shame and guilt; it alienated Graves, repressing her from effectively carrying out daily functions.
Each day is a battle,” she said. “These memories torment me terribly, and sometimes, I feel that I was stuck in that instant.
Graves alleges she was not told until November 2023 that the attack was recorded and that Combs and Sherman showed the video to several men, threatening to publicly embarrass her and her companion in an attempt to humiliate them. Commission claims pornography of the footage was sold.
Though the weight of her past might have been overwhelming, Graves has found a way to pour her pain into her art. She has always written songs in the attempt to reach an audience with great, strong lyrics.
“I want my fans to feel something real,” she said. “Music has always been my escape, and I want to carry the messages that will touch the hearts of many people who have gone through the same situations.
Graves believes all these experiences, though achingly painful, have finally shaped her creative process. “Writing about my feelings heals me,” she said. “It’s a way to reclaim my voice.” Indeed, many of her lyrics reflected themes of resilience and empowerment, uplifting those who may feel lost or alone. “I want to show people that they can rise above their circumstances,” she added.
Graves’ suit also shines the light on the intimidation tactics allegedly carried out by Combs and Sherman for years. She said they had called her time and again, threatening her not to speak about the assault. “They tried to control my life,” Graves said, as emotion shook her voice. “But I, This further makes Graves mistrusting of people to this date, having healthy relations, or even being inside her own skin.
It has strained her personal relationships and the ability to be close with others. Chronic pain and sexual discomfort is just some of the ongoing physical health complications due to what happened to her.
The lawsuit also alleges that Combs and Sherman regularly called Graves in the years afterward, threatening her not to say anything about the assault; similarly, with threats of losing custody of her son.
