Fashion designer Bryana “Bana” Bongolan filed an amazing $10 million suit against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, yet another legal complication for the beleaguered star. In court documents, Combs was alleged to have perpetrated a array of shocking abusive behaviors: sexual assault, physical violence, and emotional torment-merely the latest of his court troubles.
The claims focus on a November incident that took place in the early hours of the morning inside Ventura’s apartment. She accuses Combs of committing acts in continuous succession that traumatized Bongolan. Combs “entered the Apartment in the early morning hours, went onto the balcony where she approached and attacked Bongolan by sexually molesting her through inappropriate grabbing of her body,” the suit said. As she tried fighting off Combs, the victim alleges he then lifted her over the side of the 17th-floor balcony, yelling at her as if making accusations before smashing her into patio furniture.
Bongolan, who stood at just 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighed around 100 pounds at the time, fought with every ounce of strength to resist being thrown off the balcony—a move she is convinced would have killed her, she claimed in her lawsuit. The altercation only ceased when Ventura interjected, screaming at Combs to stop. But by that time, Bongolan claims the damage—both physical and emotional—was already done.
But the allegations against Combs go way beyond what happened on the balcony that day. Bongolan alleges a course of abuse since she entered into a professional relationship with Combs after he approached her for various design collaborations. Instead of helping to further her career, that relationship brought her repeated incidents of terror, including physical attacks and threats of violence.
One of the specific incidents charged in the complaint is that once Combs forced Bongolan-who thinks it was a line of ecstasy-and in another harrowing encounter during a photo shoot, it’s said that Combs cornered her and said, “I’m the motherf—— devil. You have no idea what I could do to you. I could kill you.“
Bongolan says she took those threats seriously in light of other acts of alleged violence on the part of Combs. These include accusations that he ordered the blowing up of Kid Cudi’s car after the rapper briefly dated Ventura, and rumors he had a rival’s dog skinned.
Bongolan also recounts that on one occasion, he witnessed Combs being abusive to Ventura, as Combs threw a large kitchen knife at her, forcing Ventura to defend herself. Such experiences, Bongolan said, had convinced him of the continuing course of violence and intimidation.
Diddy has denied the charges, and his attorney released a statement referring to the claims as “baseless.” The statement said, “Anybody can sue another person or entity in America, whether they have any actual proof or not. Mr. Combs unequivocally denies these unsubstantiated allegations and is highly confident that they will ultimately prove to be groundless.
The lawsuit is the most recent of several legal challenges for Combs, 53, who remained held at the Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center as he awaited trial on related but separate charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. The charges stem from allegations he orchestrated elaborate, “freak offs” and other events featuring coerced performances of sexual acts. To date, Combs has pleaded not guilty, and been denied bail three times since his arrest in September of this year.
Bongolan’s suit is the latest in a string of legal challenges that have cast a shadow over Combs’s career in recent years. The lawsuit gives prominence not only to Bongolan’s harrowing account but also points out the bigger picture in accusations of violent and coercive behavior that attach themselves to Combs’ personal and professional life.
In her suit, Bongolan said the 2016 balcony incident confirmed her fears that Combs was capable of making good on his threats. She is seeking $10 million in damages for the physical, mental and emotional suffering she claims to have endured.
