Music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs sued for alleged rape, sex trafficking by singer Cassie

Cassie Ventura and Sean 'Diddy' Combs attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City.

Hip-hop music and fashion mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs was hit Thursday with a civil lawsuit accusing him of raping and sex trafficking singer Cassie, his former romantic partner, over the course of a decade.

In addition to Combs, the suit names Bad Boy Records, Bad Boy Entertainment, Epic Records and Combs Enterprises as defendants.

Combs, one of the most influential and successful executives in music, founded Bad Boy in the early 1990s. He also launched a clothing label, Sean John, and developed the Ciroc vodka brand. As recently as last year, Forbes estimated his net worth at $1 billion.

"After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships," Cassie said in a statement about her bombshell suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

"With the expiration of New York's Adult Survivors Act fast approaching, it became clear that this was an opportunity to speak up about the trauma I have experienced and that I will be recovering from for the rest of my life," said Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura.

The Adult Survivors Act since last November allows accusers a one-year window to file civil claims of sexual abuse that otherwise would be barred by the statute of limitations.

Combs "vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations," his lawyer Ben Brafman said in a statement.

"Ms. Ventura's demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail," Brafman said. "Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs' reputation, and seeking a pay day."

Cassie's lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, shot back that Combs "offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit. She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all woman who suffer in silence."

"Ms. Ventura should be applauded for her bravery," Wigdor added. "No human should have to endure what Ms. Ventura has endured."