A federal judge has dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit filed anonymously against Sean "Diddy" Combs, marking a rare courtroom victory for the embattled music mogul as he faces mounting legal troubles, including a high-profile criminal trial set to begin in May.
U.S. District Court Judge Lewis J. Liman ruled Monday to close the case after the plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, failed to refile her complaint under her legal name following a previous court order. "As of today, March 31, 2025, Plaintiff has not filed a complaint in her own name, nor has she sought an extension of time to do so," Judge Liman wrote in his order.
The suit, originally filed on October 14, 2024, accused Combs of raping the woman at a 1995 party in New York held in celebration of a Notorious B.I.G. music video. In a March 6 ruling, Judge Liman denied the plaintiff's request to remain anonymous, citing the severity of the charges and lack of evidence that public disclosure would cause specific harm.
"The very gravity of the charges, combined with the fact that Plaintiff has presented no evidence of specific and concrete harm from disclosure of her identity and the severe prejudice to Defendants from keeping that identity confidential, undermine her claim to proceed anonymously," Liman wrote at the time.
Combs' legal team quickly welcomed the dismissal. "Today a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against Mr. Combs by Texas attorney Anthony Buzbee and his local counsel Antigone Curis on behalf of an anonymized plaintiff," a spokesperson said in a statement. "This is now the second case brought by these attorneys against Mr. Combs that has been dismissed in its entirety. It will not be the last."
"For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by attorneys more focused on media headlines than legal merit," the statement continued. "The other claims, like the one dismissed today, also will not hold up in a court of law."
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who is representing dozens of Combs' accusers, said the decision was not unexpected. "This was expected," Buzbee told USA Today. "In this particular case, Jane Doe opted not to proceed. There is a lot of fear amongst these plaintiffs. I thus can't blame her."
"These are tough cases and they are many times re-traumatizing for those who pursue them. Each case stands on its own merit," Buzbee added. "This woman chose not to proceed and subject herself to the media circus and the perceived danger she felt. We have to respect that."
The lawsuit is among several civil cases against Combs that have run into challenges over anonymity. In multiple instances, judges have ordered plaintiffs to reveal their identities before proceeding. In November, a separate Jane Doe suit was dismissed after the plaintiff failed to obtain court permission to file anonymously. In October, a federal judge rejected another woman's bid to remain anonymous in her 2004 rape suit against Combs. She later refiled under her real name, Candice McCrary.
Another woman, Anna Kane, similarly identified herself in court records after a judge found she "failed to demonstrate particularized harm or current vulnerabilities" that would result from disclosing her identity. However, not all cases have faced the same outcome. In December, Judge Analisa Torres allowed one of Buzbee's clients to remain unnamed due to the sensitive nature of her allegations against Combs and Jay-Z. That suit was voluntarily withdrawn in February, and Jay-Z subsequently filed suit against Buzbee and the plaintiff for malicious prosecution, defamation, and other claims.
Combs remains incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he awaits trial on May 12 for sex trafficking, racketeering, and related charges. He has been denied bail multiple times since his arrest on September 16, 2024, following federal raids on his Miami and Los Angeles properties.
The 55-year-old producer and entrepreneur is facing dozens of civil suits stemming from allegations of abuse, assault, and exploitation spanning decades. Among them is a high-profile lawsuit by music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones Jr., who accused Combs of sex trafficking and assault. While a federal judge recently dismissed several counts in that case, the core sex trafficking claims were allowed to proceed.
Combs, who has denied all allegations, saw his legal troubles escalate after former partner Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit in November alleging years of abuse and rape. That case was reportedly settled quickly for $30 million. Since then, a wave of additional plaintiffs has emerged, many filing anonymously, further complicating the legal landscape surrounding the former Bad Boy Records founder.
