As a verdict looms in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ criminal trial in New York, the embattled rapper has been hit with a new lawsuit. Edmond Laurent, a former model and actor who once appeared in Britney Spears and Lil’ Kim music videos, is suing Combs and several Jane and John Does of assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and sexual battery as well as civil conspiracy and aiding and abetting. The Dominica native who moonlighted as an exotic dancer under the name “Islander” is seeking $10 million.
The 32-page complaint, filed Tuesday night in Los Angeles Superior Court, chronicles a series of alleged incidents that took place in the late 2000s at a swath of luxury hotels in the Los Angeles area including The Intercontinental in Century City, SLS in Beverly Hills and the Mondrian in West Hollywood. According to the lawsuit, Laurent was drugged and raped by Combs and a mystery woman, who purposefully punctured a condom with her nails and exposed the plaintiff to a sexually transmitted infection. The complaint states that he suffered severe health issues including stomach cancer as a result of the alleged abuse.
As described in the complaint, Laurent is heterosexual and was once a “highly sought after to be in music videos with Tupac, Dr. Dre, Britney Spears, Lil Kim, Tamia, and other prominent artists” and appeared on an episode of “Baywatch.” In the late 2000s, he was signed to the modeling and talent agency Latin Connection that booked him on jobs as an extra in films and music videos as well as performing at bachelorette parties as male entertainment.
The alleged abuse perpetrated by Combs began when Laurent’s agency booked him for a job at a bachelorette party at a Los Angeles hotel. He arrived to find a man and woman wearing masks who wanted a private dance. “Seeing nothing wrong with the request, Plaintiff proceeded to perform. After the performance, he was paid and left.” The man was Combs, according to the complaint. A few days later, he received another call from the woman, and he returned. After performing his dance for the couple, the woman propositioned Laurent for sexual intercourse. According to the complaint, Combs noted “how much pleasure he derived from watching another man ‘fuck’ his girl.” Laurent agreed, put on a condom and proceeded to have sex with the woman. He was paid an additional $1,000 for the act.
Following that encounter, the woman continued to contact Laurent, inviting him to return. Upon arriving for another meeting at the Mondrian, “the couple unmasked themselves and asked Plaintiff to apply an excessive amount of baby oil. They offered him a drink, which he tasted and quickly declined, informing them that at that time he did not want to consume alcohol. Jane Doe then offered him cocaine, ecstasy and GHB, all of which Plaintiff declined, reiterating that he did not use drugs,” the complaint says. “Combs … insisted that Plaintiff be on the same ‘frequency’ as they were, demanding that he take at least one shot of alcohol to ‘lighten up.’ Plaintiff, reluctant but under pressure, obliged.”
Laurent became extremely woozy and lightheaded. Months went by before he received a call from Jane Doe and was invited to another hotel. During this encounter, he was offered drugs and alcohol, which he declined, but “was forced to use an immense amount of baby oil,” which he believes was infused with GHB. While Laurent had sex with the woman, Combs asked him to remove his condom. “Plaintiff refused, and Sean Combs and Jane Doe informed him that they had recently been tested, were both clean, and stated that Plaintiff was the only other partner Jane Doe had. They even went so far as to produce what they claimed to be valid blood work results as evidence that Jane Doe was STD and STI free,” the suit says. “Jane Doe reached down and broke the condom with her fingernails as Plaintiff was penetrating her. Sean Combs then came behind Plaintiff, leaning in closely and whispering in his ear in a low, suggestive tone, ‘Yeah, fuck that pussy,’ ;Pound that pussy.’ His voice was deliberate and insistent, reinforcing the coercive atmosphere. Plaintiff felt increasingly trapped and uncomfortable, but due to the effects of the drugged baby oil and the situation he found himself in, he struggled to fully resist or leave though he attempted to and had all intent to, but was hindered by the drugs.” Furthermore, Combs also told the woman how to perform oral sex on Laurent. When she did not perform as instructed, he “would snatch Plaintiff’s penis from Jane Doe 1 and mimic the movements he would want to see Jane Doe 1 do,” the complaint says.
On the final encounter, the couple offered Laurent some orange juice, specifically because he did not drink alcohol. “Unbeknownst to him, Jane Doe and Sean Combs had spiked the drink with Rohypnol and ketamine,” the lawsuit says. “When Plaintiff regained consciousness, he was lying naked on the bed, slathered in baby oil, and felt immense pressure and pain in his rectum. … Jane Doe woke up, pulled out a stack of hundred-dollar bills, handed Plaintiff $500, and abruptly shut the hotel room door. Plaintiff was left feeling violated, confused, and physically unwell.”
Weeks later, anal warts appeared around the rim of Laurent’s rectum, the complaint says, and he was diagnosed with condyloma. Laurent began vomiting so frequently that he lost his ability to retain solid food or liquids. As a result, he suffered debilitating health issues that led to gastric surgery and eventually stomach cancer, the suit says.
Laurent is represented by Rodney Diggs and Tyrone Blackburn, attorneys in another high-profile case against Combs. Last year, Diggs and Blackburn filed a lawsuit on behalf of Diddy accuser Lil Rodney, alleging sexual assault, sexual harassment and failure to pay his underling. One month later, Department of Homeland Security agents raided Combs’ mansions in Los Angeles and Miami. Today’s filing is filled with pictures of a buff Laurent alongside famous faces, including Pamela Anderson on the “Baywatch” set and Oprah Winfrey in happier times. Those pictures are juxtaposed by a current picture of a frail-looking Laurent who is missing teeth due to frequent vomiting.
His lawsuit also lists the mystery woman as a defendant, referring to her as a Jane Doe “whose identity is unknown” to Laurent. It also names an additional nine Jane and John Does who “participated in, facilitated, aided, abetted, conspired, or otherwise contributed to the wrongful acts.” Those Jane and John Does, who loosely fit the description of an entourage, “controlled access, security, and medical supplies (drinks, oils) within private suites” and “cleaned evidence, ignored loud disturbances, and refused to summon help.”
Combs is currently being detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and is awaiting the jury’s verdict in a criminal trial on federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. Earlier Tuesday, the jury reached a partial verdict but was instructed to keep deliberating on Wednesday. Jurors were dismissed for the night. If convicted of the most serious charges, he could be sentenced to life in prison. In addition, the famed rapper Combs is facing dozens of civil lawsuits filed by both men and women who say they were sexually assaulted and raped in incidents that date back to the 1990s. Diggs and Blackburn represent several Combs accusers in addition to Lil Rodney and Laurent. Combs has denied those allegations.
“This lawsuit is not just about seeking justice for one man — it is about holding powerful individuals accountable when they use their influence to exploit, degrade, and destroy lives behind closed doors,” Diggs tells Variety. “For years, Mr. Laurent suffered in silence — his career, body and spirit irreparably damaged by the trauma he endured. Today, that silence ends. No amount of fame, fortune, or intimidation should shield anyone from being held responsible for their actions.”
That statement echoes elements of the complaint, which notes that “Combs leveraged his position of power and authority to manipulate, intimidate, and physically and emotionally harm Plaintiff, engaging in repeated acts of abuse, sexual misconduct, and coercion.”
The suit also lays some blame on the hotels where the alleged incidents happened. “Housekeeping observed large quantities of baby oil and drug paraphernalia, yet management ordered immediate clean‐up rather than investigation,” the complaint notes. “Security logs show multiple noise complaints and reports of physical altercations — but no incident reports were filed with law enforcement.”
The lawsuit adds that Laurent also suffers from PTSD, major depressive disorder, panic disorder and severe gastrointestinal issues that stem directly from his encounters with the couple.
“As a consequence of Defendants’ actions, Plaintiff has suffered long-term medical conditions, including but not limited to stomach cancer,” the suit says.
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