Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing a new set of charges for an incident that allegedly occurred eight years ago. On November 27, a new, 17-page complaint was filed in the Los Angeles Supreme Court by fashion designer Bryana “Bana” Bongolan, who accused Combs of sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment and other claims, according to People magazine.
Within the lawsuit, Bongolan claims that she witnessed multiple scenes of abuse between the music mogul and his girlfriend at the time, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. In addition to demonstrating a pattern of abuse and intimidating and threatening the designer, Combs reportedly dangled Bongolan over the side of Ventura’s 17th-floor balcony.
“On or about September 26. 2016, Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs sexually battered Ms. Bryana ”Bana’ Bongolan and dangled her off of a 17-story-high balcony and then slammed her into the patio furniture on the balcony,” the lawsuit read per Deadline. “His outrageous and abhorrent conduct violated Ms. Bongolan’s fundamental dignity, bodily autonomy, and sense of safety…This event was the culmination of a series of threats, intimidation, and violence that colored many of Ms. Bongolan’s interactions with Mr. Combs from the day she met him.”
Filed by Miller Barondess attorney James R. Nikraftar, the lawsuit underlines the deep and lasting harm interactions with Combs reportedly had on Bongolan. Similarly, she recounts Combs using menacing language, including claims that he compared himself to the ‘motherf–cking devil’ and threatened that ‘he could kill’ her as an intimidation tactic. In addition to verbally attacking Bongolan, she also claims she was bettered and forcibly groped by Combs, who she believes was “making good on his threats.”
If the image of someone being suspended from a balcony feels like a scene pulled straight from hip-hop lore, that’s because it is. Similar tales involving figures like now-incarcerated former Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight have been circulating for decades. One of the most infamous accounts alleges that Knight hung rapper Vanilla Ice over a Bel Air, Calif. balcony in the early 1990s to secure the publishing rights to his chart-topping hit, “Ice, Ice Baby.” While Vanilla Ice has consistently downplayed the story, claiming it was exaggerated and ultimately resolved in court, the anecdote has become a lasting part of hip-hop mythology.
However, in the Combs case, these allegations are just one of many shocking claims and lawsuits against the music mogul.
“The only purpose of dangling someone over a balcony is to actually kill them or to intentionally terrorize them and rob them of any concept of dominion over their own bodily autonomy and safety,” the filing continued. “It should be no surprise that is exactly what happened to Ms. Bongolan.”
As previously reported by theGrio, Combs was arrested by federal agents in New York earlier this year. In addition to facing judges in federal court, the music mogul has also faced scrutiny in the court of public opinion. Combs, whose third bail request was recently denied by a New York judge, continues to vigorously deny all the claims and allegations against him, releasing a statement through his legal team in response to Bongolan’s suit.
“As we have shared previously, anyone has the right to file a lawsuit, regardless of the evidence they may or may not have,” Combs’ attorneys told Deadline on Monday in a statement about the case. “Since last year, Ms. Bangolan (sic) has expressed an intention to sue Mr. Combs and has sought legal representation to pursue her claims. Mr. Combs firmly denies these serious allegations and remains confident they will ultimately be proven baseless. He has unwavering faith in the facts and in the fairness of the judicial process. In court, the truth will come to light, demonstrating that the claims against Mr. Combs are without merit.”
