If you’ve been following the news in recent months, you’re likely aware of the many mounting cases and misconduct allegations currently being levied against music industry executive and Bad Boy Records founder Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. While numerous individuals have stepped forward to accuse Diddy of everything from sexual assault, physical abuse, drugging, and more, it seems that the mogul’s list of potential victims has not yet been exhausted. Per a report in People, a young woman by the name of Thalia Graves has officially filed a rape lawsuit against Diddy, alleging that he violently abused her in a 2001 incident which she claims has been recorded and shared with numerous individuals. While these allegations have not yet been proven at the time of this writing, the case has been added to a laundry list of legal drama that the rapper is facing.
Unlike many of Diddy’s other accusers, Thalia Graves is not an established figure in the music or entertainment industry. Naturally, this has led many people to question who she is, and how she came to be involved with Sean Combs in the first place. So, let’s examine her complaints, take a glance into her background, and see what we can learn about Graves’ history with Diddy both before and after the alleged 2001 incident.
This article contains discussions of sexual assault. Be mindful of your own limits and proceed at your discretion.
Graves’ Early Life and Initial Meetings With Diddy
Thalia Graves is a Houston, Texas native who is said to have moved to New York City during her teen years. During the early 1990s, Graves graduated from school and began a romantic relationship with an employee of Bad Boy Records, who remains unnamed in the initial complaint. Through this connection, Graves claims to have met Diddy several times in late 1999 and early 2000, as her then-boyfriend grew closer and closer to the Bad Boy founder. While the woman has not divulged much about her specific interactions with Diddy during this time, Graves has expressed that she was familiar with the executive, and that he was aware of her relationship to his employee. Things apparently took a dark turn for Graves in the Summer of 2001, when Diddy allegedly reached out to discuss unknown details of her then-boyfriend’s job.
According to Thalia Graves’ complaint in a New York federal court, the mogul arrived outside her mother’s house in a black SUV, with his then-bodyguard Joseph Sherman behind the wheel. As Graves’ story goes, Diddy offered her a glass of wine, which she accepted on the ride to a secondary location. After a couple of sips, Graves claims that the beverage made her dizzy and lightheaded, and eventually caused her to lose consciousness, likely due to a potent drug of some kind. The complaint filed by Graves alleges that she later woke up while lying on top of a pool table, with her hands and legs tied down to prevent her escape. From there, Graves claims that both Diddy and Sherman violently sexually abused her, eventually causing her to lose consciousness once more.
The Aftermath Of The Incident
Once the ordeal was over with, Graves says that she woke up on a couch in Diddy’s personal office, and immediately called a friend to bring her to a local hospital. As the complaint claims, Graves was ultimately unable to bring herself to report the sexual assault at the time, because she was “terrified of what Combs would do to her and her family.” Thalia Graves’ fears were made worse in the following years, as she claims both Diddy and Sherman contacted her multiple times and warned her not to speak about her experience. Per the complaint, the two threatened Graves with physical violence, and even insinuated that she could lose custody of her child if she stepped forward. The alleged harassment got so out of hand that Graves eventually moved out of New York City and went to Pennsylvania specifically to avoid retaliation.
For years, this alleged incident remained front-and-center in Graves’ psyche, as she explained in a September 24 press conference alongside her attorney Gloria Allred. Between sobs, Thalia Graves explained “It goes beyond just physical harm caused by and during the assault. It’s a pain that reaches into the very core of who you are and leaves emotional scars that may never fully heal.” As she continued to explain the basis of her civil suit, Graves continued “Some of the hardest parts of this pain are the shame and guilt I have experienced that plays a negative part in my day-to-day ability to function properly… The trauma of the assault has taken a toll on my mental health. I have PTSD, depression, and anxiety. I am emotionally scarred. It has been hard for me to trust others, form healthy relationships, or even feel safe in my own skin.”
Inside Thalia Graves’ Choice To Speak Out
Some defenders of Diddy have been quick to question why Thalia Graves would choose to speak out now. As Graves explained in her press conference, there are numerous factors that played into her decision to finally file this civil suit. For starters, Graves says she was not made aware that a video was allegedly filmed depicting her sexual assault until 2023. Last November, Graves says she was made aware of the video’s existence, which she claims Diddy intentionally circulated to many industry insiders, or otherwise sold under the label of pornography. If such a video does truly exist, prosecutors will no-doubt be searching high and low for a copy, in order to solidify a conviction in the case.
Furthermore, these allegations seem to align with the description of Diddy’s numerous federal indictments, for which he has been arrested. Combs is currently being detained in a New York City prison without bail while awaiting movement in his sex trafficking and racketeering case. Among the details of his case are allegations that the mogul has thrown multiple orgy-style events, titled “freak offs” allegedly involving illegal drugs, prostitution, and sexual assault. If any of these charges do bring forth a conviction, it would seemingly vindicate Graves’ claims through a well established pattern of behavior on the part of the controversial rapper.
Has Diddy Responded?
Per a report in CNN, Diddy has not yet responded to Thalia Graves’ allegations at this time. Joseph Sherman has issued a public statement denying his involvement in Graves’ story, referring to her complaint as “false and baseless” and calling it a “clear attempt at a money grab.” Sherman concluded his statement by arguing “These accusations are not only false but damaging to my character. I have never met the accuser, and I was not working with Sean Combs during the time in question. I will be pursuing legal action to address this defamation and protect my name.”
