Singer Dawn Richard on Monday alleged that incarcerated music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs attempted to manipulate key witnesses in her civil abuse lawsuit while he remains detained.
Richard, a former member of the groups Danity Kane and Diddy – Dirty Money, told reporters she believed Combs used his incarceration to tamper with evidence and influence testimony.
Allegations of Tampering from Detention
Richard’s claims stem from previously reported filings by prosecutors who accused Combs of attempting to influence potential witnesses from his jail cell. In a motion filed in November 2024, prosecutors allege Combs used other inmates’ phone access and three-way calls to reach individuals outside the correctional facility.
“As soon as I decided to speak out, I felt the pressure,” Richard said. “I believe he knew I was going to be a witness.”
Prosecutors had told a judge that the seizure of handwritten notes from Combs’ cell revealed his intent to “blackmail victims and witnesses either into silence or provide testimony helpful to his defense.”
A federal judge ordered that prosecutors destroy their copies of the seized pages pending review of whether they were subject to attorney-client privilege.
Richard asserts that during her collaboration with Combs she observed other individuals being intimidated. “I watched things happen,” she declared. “I kept quiet long enough.”
Her civil complaint, filed last year, alleges that Combs physically and psychologically abused her and withheld promised royalties. In her testimony during the related criminal trial, Richard described violent acts she witnessed against Combs’ then-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, including being hit with a skillet and dragged across a room.
She told the court: “I was absolutely terrified of him.”
Although the criminal trial of Combs centered on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and coercion, in which prosecutors called 34 witnesses over seven weeks, Richard’s civil case runs in parallel.
Her new claim about tampering adds a separate layer of complexity: if evidence shows Combs attempted to shape witness testimony while jailed, it could strengthen her position and potentially influence both the civil matter and ongoing criminal proceedings.
Combs’ legal team has denied the tampering allegations, characterizing the seized materials as protected defense work-product. “What was taken was attorney-client privileged,” one of his lawyers argued in court filings.
Meanwhile, Richard’s attorney said: “Ms. Richard took the stand because she believes justice needs to be seen and heard.”
The judge has not yet ruled on whether the seized notes may be used as evidence in the civil case or in Combs’ criminal trial. In the criminal matter, Combs remains behind bars pending sentencing; bail continues to be denied based on the court’s finding of a serious risk of witness tampering.
Richard said she will continue her pursuit of damages and accountability. “This is not about vengeance,” she emphasized. “It’s about truth.”