A series of federal lawsuits originating from Manhattan allege that Combs has been involved in sexual assaults dating back to 1995.
It is claimed that Combs engaged in non-consensual sexual acts with an employee of the competing brand Ecko at the Macy’s flagship location in 2008.
The lawsuit claims that Macy’s concealed the incident as a result of a substantial financial agreement with Sean John.
A recent lawsuit claims that Macy’s concealed a violent sexual assault that occurred in 2008 involving Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs at its flagship Herald Square location in Manhattan in order to safeguard a lucrative deal with Combs’ clothing line, Sean John.
A global department store chain has been identified as a defendant in at least six federal lawsuits, all claiming sexual assault, that were filed against the hip-hop entrepreneur in Manhattan on Monday.
The 19-page lawsuit represents one of two filed on Monday, identifying an external company as a defendant in addition to the entities associated with Combs. A filing was submitted on behalf of an individual identified as “John Doe,” currently residing in Ohio.
The plaintiff claims that he experienced sexual assault by Combs during his employment in the stockroom of the flagship store.
The plaintiff said he worked for Ecko, a rival clothing company to Combs’ Sean John brand that was also carried by Macy’s.
On the day of the incident, Combs entered the stockroom accompanied by three armed bodyguards, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit indicates that one or more guards may have struck him, potentially resulting in a pistol-whipping, which caused him to collapse to his hands and knees.
The plaintiff alleges in the legal action that one or more of the bodyguards issued threats to take his life.
The plaintiff alleged that Combs insisted he engage in oral sex, referring to him by the name of the company he was employed at, “Ecko.” The plaintiff was subjected to a two-minute assault by Combs, as detailed in the lawsuit.
The legal complaint asserts that subsequent to the incident, Combs collected multiple items of Sean John merchandise from the stockroom, proceeded to the retail area, and “started distributing merchandise to an enthusiastic crowd, as if the prior event had not occurred.”
The legal action alleges that Macy’s promptly concealed the occurrence.
The lawsuit alleges that security was notified the same day, but the plaintiff was prohibited from the store due to no action.
“Approximately three weeks later, Terry Lundgren, CEO of Macy’s, pressured Ecko executives to fire plaintiffs because Macy’s had just signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Sean John Clothing,” the suit says.
The lawsuit alleges Ecko fired the plaintiff and prevented him from living in his company-paid city flat.
The complaint didn’t mention Ecko. The company did not respond to work Insider requests for comment after Monday work hours.
Hen “believes that the report of the assault was destroyed or otherwise purged from Macy’s records, and no action was ever taken as a result of the report.” He “fears for his life,” says the lawsuit.
Macy’s and Lundgren didn’t address the charges then.
Attorneys for Combs denied sexual assault again Monday. Claiming Monday lawsuits were meant to “garner publicity.”
“Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defences, and the integrity of the judicial process,” said. “In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman.”
Texas-based Buzzbee Law Firm, AVA Law Group, and Curis Law sued Combs in Manhattan.
The 1998-founded Sean John brand may be gone. Instagram is empty and website broken. In 2010, Macy’s and Combs sold $525 million in apparel, furnishings, fragrance, and footwear.
Macy’s became the exclusive retailer of the company’s sportswear brand, which accounted for half of sales, in 2011. Combs advertised Sean John items at five of the retailer’s outlets.
WWD said the department store’s best-selling men’s brand for years.
“I’ve always loved Sean’s flair and business sense. Two years after the alleged assault, Lundgren lauded Combs for his understanding of modern men’s style during the exclusivity deal announcement in 2010.
“He believed in me first,” the rapper told Barron’s in 2012. “He was like a godfather.”
In 2016, Combs sold a majority stake for $70 million, but new management failed and the brand went bankrupt.
Combs acquired it for $7.55 million in 2021. A spokeswoman wouldn’t say if Combs’ accusations stopped Macy’s from selling Sean John until last autumn.
Combs is jailed until his May 5 sex-trafficking trial.