Diddy has denied gang raping a 17-year-old girl in response to a sexual assault lawsuit which he claims is “unconstitutional.”
According to Rolling Stone, the Bad Boy Records founder filed his first official response on Tuesday (February 20) to the allegations that he and two other men gang raped a teenage girl in a Manhattan recording studio in 2003.
Diddy (real name Sean Combs) was sued in December and accused of taking turns raping the woman in a bathroom as well as supplying her with drink and drugs.
In a response filed in the Southern District of New York, the mogul’s lawyers said he “never participated in, witnessed, or was or is presently aware of any misconduct, sexual or otherwise, relating to plaintiff in any circumstance whatsoever.”
They also argued that the two-decade gap between the alleged assault and the lawsuit had “prejudiced” the case against Diddy “as he has lost the ability to defend himself fully and fairly in this action.”
His attorneys claimed the lengthy period between the two events has affected his ability to present evidence to argue his innocence.
The filing also claimed that the lawsuit was filed under an “unconstitutional” law.
Diddy is being sued under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Act (GMVA) which temporary lifted the statute of limitations on historical sex offences.
“Allowing this action to proceed violates defendant’s rights under the U.S. Constitution and the New York State Constitution,” his legal team claimed.
The original lawsuit, filed by the unnamed woman in December, claimed she met Diddy through his friend and Bad Boy president Pierre Harve, who she also accuses of taking part in the gang rape.
Pierre filed his own response to the lawsuit, saying he “never participated in the sexual assault of the plaintiff nor did he ever witness anyone else sexually assaulting the plaintiff.”
The woman’s lawyers said: “She could not possibly have consented to having sex with anyone, much less someone twice her age,” adding that the assault has caused “significant emotional distress and feel[ing]s of shame that have plagued her life and personal relationships for 20 years.”
The gang rape accusation is just one of four sexual assault lawsuits that were filed against Diddy late last year.
He was initially sued by his ex-girlfriend Cassie who accused him of subjecting her to a pattern of sexual abuse, physical violence and sex trafficking during their decade-long relationship.
The former couple quickly settled the suit for an undisclosed sum, with Diddy maintaining his innocence.
The 54-year-old previously issued a statement on social media denying the accusations against him and dismissing them as shakedown attempts.
“Enough is enough. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” he wrote.
“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
