Cassie Ventura is officially off the hook for a $35 million lawsuit brought by a former male escort who claimed he was sexually exploited during encounters involving her and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
A federal judge dismissed the allegations against Cassie on Oct. 21, ending her role as a defendant, according to documents obtained by Complex.
Judge Anne Hwang granted the singer’s request to dismiss with prejudice, meaning plaintiff Clayton Howard cannot pursue those same claims against her again.
Clayton, who worked as a male escort under the alias “Dave,” sued the former couple last June, alleging they hired him for multiple sexual encounters. He claimed the meetings involved drugs, coercion, and abuse. He also alleged that Cassie became pregnant with his child and subsequently had an abortion.
Cassie’s legal team argued that the allegations did not establish that she participated in sex trafficking. Her attorneys also cited Clayton’s repeated visits and payments as part of their defense.
“These defects are not curable by better drafting or any reframing of the facts,” they argued.
Although Cassie’s legal involvement has ended, Diddy remains a defendant and denies wrongdoing. The court also permitted Clayton to revise certain allegations against Bad Boy Entertainment and CeOpco within 14 days.
Diddy is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence and has until Nov. 4 to respond.