Cuba Gooding Jr. Accused of Sexual Assault in Amended Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Lawsuit

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. appears in New York Criminal Court for his sentencing hearing after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of forcibly touching a woman at a New York nightclub in Manhattan, New York, in 2018. Mike Segar/Reuters

Rodney Lil Rod Jones officially amended his sexual abuse civil lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs on Monday to include Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. This comes just hours after the Department of Homeland Security raided Mr. Comb’s residences in Los Angeles and Miami. The case was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

These accusations stem from an incident that allegedly occurred on a yacht rented by Mr. Combs in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 2023. The plaintiff, identified as Mr. Jones, had initially filed a lawsuit in February, naming Mr. Gooding and accusing him of misconduct during the same event.

According to the lawsuit, Mr. Combs purportedly introduced Mr. Jones to Mr. Gooding and subsequently left them alone together in a studio onboard the yacht. Mr. Jones alleges that Gooding engaged in inappropriate touching, with Mr. Combs allegedly failing to intervene to prevent the misconduct. The lawsuit alleges “Cuba Gooding Jr. began touching, groping, and fondling Mr. Jones’ legs, his upper inner thighs near his groin, the small of his back near his buttocks and his shoulders.”

The legal complaint includes photographic evidence depicting interactions between the parties involved. Furthermore, Mr. Jones’ lawsuit implicates other individuals, including rapper Yung Miami and producer Stevie J, in separate incidents of sexual assault and misconduct. Mr. Jones alleges that Stevie J recruited sex workers for Mr. Jones.

Adding another layer to the lawsuit, Mr. Jones, who partnered with Mr. Combs on the creation of “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” alleges that despite significant contributions to the project, he has not been fairly compensated. Mr. Combs refutes the claims.

The lawsuit’s recent amendment, which adds Mr. Gooding as a defendant, coincides with reports of federal authorities conducting raids on Mr. Combs’ residences in Los Angeles and Miami. These raids are reportedly part of a broader federal investigation into allegations of sexual assault and misconduct involving Mr. Combs.

The recent legal action adds to a series of lawsuits against Mr. Gooding, who recently settled a lawsuit in June 2023 with a woman alleging rape in 2013.

In the 2018 case, a cocktail waitress employed at LAVO restaurant and nightclub in New York accused Mr. Gooding of forcefully kissing her without consent. Mr. Gooding pleaded guilty to a charge associated with the incident last year. The lawsuit includes a segment of the transcript from an April 2022 hearing where Mr.Gooding acknowledged the behavior. The plaintiff requested anonymity.

Mr. Gooding also pled guilty in a 2019 lawsuit by Kelsey Harbert, acknowledging the “non-consensual physical contact” in his statement.

Following a judge’s determination in October 2022 that Mr. Gooding had complied with the terms of a plea agreement, the actor received no jail time and changed his misdemeanor plea to a noncriminal harassment violation.

Authorities have reported allegations of groping, unwanted advances, and other inappropriate conduct by Mr. Gooding from at least 30 women, often occurring after encounters at New York City nightlife venues.

Allegations Against ‘Diddy’

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York confirmed their involvement in “law enforcement actions” in a statement with The Epoch Times on Monday. They said the raid on Mr. Combs’ homes was “part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”

The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan declined to provide any comments regarding the matter when approached by reporters.

At the scene in Los Angeles, a police cordon was established around Mr. Combs’ residence in the affluent Holmby Hills neighborhood near Beverly Hills. Aerial footage from KTLA captured a contingent of agents with Homeland Security Investigations, identifiable by their vests, congregating in the backyard of the property, close to the pool area. A command center was established outside the residence, with agents continuing to enter and exit the premises hours after the search operation commenced.

The searches come amid a flurry of legal challenges facing Mr. Combs, with multiple lawsuits filed in recent months alleging rape or sexual assault by the music mogul.

An anonymous accuser filed a lawsuit in December, alleging rape by Mr. Combs and his associates when she was 17 years old. This was followed by a lawsuit in the previous month by Joi Dickerson-Neal, who accused Mr. Combs of drugging, sexually assaulting, and subjecting her to revenge porn. Notably, just days before this lawsuit, Mr. Combs’ ex-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, accused him of rape, sex trafficking, and physical abuse. However, the legal matter between Ms. Ventura and Mr. Combs was swiftly resolved with a confidential settlement reached the following day.

It’s worth noting that the lawsuits filed by Ms. Dickerson-Neal and Ms.Ventura were submitted before the deadline set by New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which provided a one-year window for victims of sexual abuse to pursue claims that would otherwise be time-barred.

Mr. Gooding could not be reached for comment.