Music

Dawn Richard Alleges Diddy Tampered With 'Key Witness' in Danity Kane Alum's Case While Behind Bars

"There is no indication that Combs’ ability or willingness to act on his threats ever ceased," Richard's lawyers argue.

Sean "Diddy" Combs wearing sunglasses and a chain, performing on stage with Dawn Richard in a black outfit.
Image via Getty/Frederick M. Brown

Danity Kane alum Dawn Richard underscores Sean “Diddy” Combs’s alleged intimidation efforts in a recent filing in opposition to the Bad Boy Records founder’s attempt at having her amended complaint dismissed.

In court documents filed Nov. 5 and viewed by Complex, attorneys for Richard, who testified during Diddy’s sex trafficking and racketeering trial this year, points to one alleged instance in September 2024 as an example of this behavior in action. As the docs claim, “there is no indication that Combs’ ability or willingness to act on his threats ever ceased, or that their coercive effort on [Richard] was ever lifted.”

The alleged September 2024 incident, specifically, is said to have seen Diddy tampering with a witness in Richard’s case.

Here’s how the singer's legal team words it in the recently filed docs:

“Indeed, in September 2024, while incarcerated, Combs tampered with a key witness in Plaintiff’s case, validating Plaintiff’s ongoing fear and demonstrating his continued efforts to intimidate her and manipulate the narrative to discredit her claims. Prosecutors opposed bail, citing his pattern of witness tampering, obstruction and regular use of violence, threats and coercion. The Court, in turn, denied bail four times, accepting the government’s position that Combs posed a continuing danger.”

Richard, also a former member of Diddy-Dirty Money, alleged while on the stand in Diddy’s trial that she and fellow Bad Boy artist Kalenna Harper had been threatened to stay quiet in connection with violence Richard said they witnessed against Cassie Ventura. As Complex's Shawn Setaro reported at the time, Cassie also took the stand in the trial, as did Kid Cudi and others.

Ultimately, the verdict was split, with Diddy being found not guilty of racketeering and trafficking charges, but guilty of Mann Act violations. The verdict was followed by a sentence of 50 months, in tandem with a $500,000 fine and a five-year period of supervised release. As expected, Diddy later appealed the sentence. He remains behind bars as of this writing.

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