Sean “Diddy” Combs has won a legal victory in one of several civil suits against him, even as he awaits sentencing in a federal criminal case.
A New York judge dismissed a lawsuit filed in February by a man identified as John Doe, who accused the music mogul of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a Los Angeles nightclub in 2015. The plaintiff, then a 23-year-old aspiring artist, claimed he blacked out after being given a drink and later awoke to find Combs engaging in unwanted sexual contact. He further alleged that Combs threatened to sabotage his career if he resisted. The case was brought by attorney Tony Buzbee.
The court ruled the lawsuit could not go forward because the statute of limitations had expired. At the time, such claims were limited to a five-year filing period. Although New York extended the limit to 20 years in 2019, the judge noted that the change was not retroactive.
The dismissal also applied to claims against Combs’ companies, including Bad Boy Entertainment and Combs Enterprises.
This ruling marks another in a series of recent civil case dismissals involving Combs, though he still faces several active lawsuits. His federal sentencing is scheduled for October 3.
