Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr., the music producer who filed a lawsuit in opposition to Sean “Diddy” Combs final month, has formally accused Cuba Gooding Jr. of sexual assault, naming him as a defendant in his criticism amended Monday.
The civil lawsuit, filed in a New York federal district court docket, got here hours after Homeland Safety Investigations brokers raided two of Combs’ houses.
Jones beforehand named Gooding, 56, in his February lawsuit, accusing the actor of sexually harassing and assaulting him on a yacht rented by Combs, 54, within the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 2023. Gooding wasn’t listed as a defendant till now.
USA TODAY has reached out to Gooding’s rep for remark.
Based on the lawsuit, Combs tried to “move off” Jones to Gooding, introducing him to the Oscar-winning actor and leaving the 2 alone in a studio on Combs’ yacht.
“Cuba Gooding Jr. started touching, groping, and fondling Mr. Jones’ legs, his higher inside thighs close to his groin, the small of his again close to his buttocks and his shoulders,” Jones’ lawsuit alleges.
The criticism features a photograph that purportedly exhibits Gooding together with his arm round Jones, together with an image that allegedly exhibits Combs and Gooding speaking on the yacht.
Combs “didn’t step in and cease” Gooding from “sexually assaulting” Jones, the lawsuit states.
Unique story:Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of sexually assaulting ‘The Love Album’ producer in new lawsuit
Gooding has confronted a number of lawsuits in recent times over alleged sexual abuse, rape and forcible touching.
Jones’ lawsuit has implicated different celebrities, together with rapper Yung Miami, whose unnamed cousin was accused of sexual assault after she allegedly “burst into the lavatory and started groping” Jones throughout a gathering on Thanksgiving Day 2022. Jones additionally claims producer Stevie J helped recruit intercourse employees for Combs and took part in intercourse events known as “freak-offs” (a time period Combs allegedly used to discuss with sexual encounters with intercourse employees) in accordance with the lawsuit.
Jones labored with Combs on his most up-to-date file, “The Love Album: Off the Grid.” Based on Jones, he and Combs labored collectively between September 2022 and November 2023, a partnership that resulted in 9 songs on “The Love Album” for which Jones is credited as a producer. Jones additionally alleges he was not paid for “13 months (and) 1000’s of hours of labor.”
Diddy has denied Jones’ allegations in opposition to him.
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Although he’s not accused of wrongdoing, the lawsuit names Prince Harry for example of how Diddy’s events as a “well-liked and extremely influential” determine offered nice profit to the lawsuit’s different defendants, Common Music Group and Motown Information.
“Affiliation with … Combs garnered legitimacy, immense success, and entry to high and rising artists, celebrities, well-known athletes, political figures, musicians, and worldwide dignitaries” together with “Prince Harry.”
Diddy’s houses in Los Angeles, Miami raided by Homeland Safety Investigations
The amended lawsuit follows the reported raid of two of Combs’ houses. The houses have been reportedly searched by HSI on Monday as a part of a federal investigation.
Federal officers raided Combs’ Los Angeles house Monday, in accordance with Rolling Stone and native Los Angeles information station Fox 11, amid lawsuits filed in opposition to him from accusers alleging the rapper and music mogul has raped or sexually assaulted them. Brokers additionally searched Combs’ Miami residence Monday, Rolling Stone and The Related Press reported.
If you happen to or somebody you already know has skilled sexual violence, RAINN’s Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline gives free, confidential, 24/7 assist to survivors and their family members in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson