According to reports, plaintiffs Lakeisha Ward and Dejoan Bledsloe, represented by attorney Tony Buzbee, instituted proceedings alleging that Mr. Combs committed acts of sexual assault. Ms. Ward asserts that in 2018, after attending a pool party at Mr. Combs’ Los Angeles residence, she was required to execute a non-disclosure agreement prior to entry, became disoriented after consuming drinks, and was subsequently assaulted. Mr. Bledsloe, the second plaintiff, contends that in 2009, when he was 18 years old, Mr. Combs lured him with promises of a recording contract and then drugged and assaulted him at the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel. Both plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages.
Mr. Combs has not yet issued a formal response to these latest allegations. The newly filed actions are unrelated to the criminal matter currently before the court and will not affect his sentencing, scheduled for Friday, in connection with his conviction for transportation to engage in prostitution.
At trial earlier this year, Mr. Combs was acquitted of more serious charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking. Nevertheless, federal prosecutors have requested a sentence of 135 months (approximately 11 years) of imprisonment, in addition to a $500,000 fine, arguing that his financial resources enabled his criminal conduct.
In anticipation of sentencing, Mr. Combs submitted a 189-page memorandum, including a personal letter addressed to the presiding judge. In that letter, he expressed remorse, acknowledged responsibility for his actions, and requested leniency, specifically a sentence of no more than 14 months. Mr. Combs described his incarceration as transformative, stating that he had been “humbled and broken,” and characterizing prison as an environment that “will change you or kill you.” He further referenced mental health struggles, admitting there were periods where he believed he would be “better off dead.”
Mr. Combs also reflected on past acts of domestic violence, including his widely publicized assault on former partner Cassie Ventura, which he described as an unforgivable wrong that continues to haunt him. He emphasized his failures as a father, citing milestones in his children’s lives that he has missed during his incarceration, and detailed the severe decline of his personal, professional, and financial circumstances.
Despite his plea for leniency, the court has already rejected a proposed $50 million bail package, signaling the seriousness with which it views the matter. The court will issue its sentencing determination on Friday.#newsafro_
