Cassie Ventura has secured a legal victory in Clayton Howard’s $35 million lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, with a federal judge dismissing her from the case with prejudice. The ruling means Howard cannot bring the same claims against Cassie in another lawsuit, while the case will continue against Diddy as the sole defendant.
Cassie Ventura dismissed with prejudice from Clayton Howard’s lawsuit
According to Hip Hop Wired‘s report, on October 21, U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang granted Cassie’s request to be removed from the lawsuit during a hearing in Los Angeles. The court filing stated, “Defendant Ventura’s motion to dismiss is hereby granted; this will be the order as stated on the record.”
Howard, a former male escort who used the name “Dave,” initially filed the lawsuit last year. He sought $35 million from Cassie, Diddy, Bad Boy Entertainment LLC and CeOpco LLC. He alleged that Cassie arranged paid sexual encounters under Diddy’s direction. Howard also claimed he experienced coercion and drug-related abuse during sessions in New York City, Miami and Los Angeles.
However, Cassie’s lawyers challenged the allegations, arguing that Howard had been paid for the encounters and had agreed to return. They also maintained that the problems with his claims could not be resolved through revisions. They wrote, “These defects are not curable by better drafting or any reframing of the facts.”
Following Cassie’s motion, Howard was required to amend his complaint. He also attempted to submit a revised account of his allegation that Diddy detained him for 12 hours during a December 2016 encounter in Miami. The court rejected that attempt before the October 21 hearing.
Further court filings stated that Cassie is now an American citizen living abroad and does not intend to return to the United States. She and her husband, Alex Fine, reportedly relocated quietly before Diddy’s racketeering and sex trafficking trial. Last October, Diddy received a 50-month prison sentence.
With Cassie dismissed from the case, Howard’s lawsuit will now proceed against Diddy alone.
