Joseph Sherman, Diddy‘s former bodyguard, has filed a defamation lawsuit in response to allegations that he and his ex-employer raped a woman in 2001. The legal action marks his public rebuttal to the claims. According to reports, on Friday, Sherman filed a lawsuit against Thalia Graves in New York federal court, vehemently denying her accusations. His legal team described the claims as entirely fabricated, pointing to his collaboration with Combs in 1999—years prior to the events outlined in Graves’ suit.
In the legal filing, Sherman’s lawyers accuse Graves and her team of attempting to extort him, claiming that she and her attorneys “made outrageous, disgusting, and life altering statements … without any regard for the truth.” His defense added, “Joseph Sherman has never met Thalia Graves, let alone raped her.” The lawsuit states that the former bodyguard “continues to suffer severe reputational harm, emotional distress, and financial damages,” due to these claims. He further claims that Graves reached out, pressuring him to offer “false testimony against Sean Combs” in return for being excluded from the legal action.
In September, Graves initiated her legal action in the Southern District of New York’s U.S. District Court. Graves claims she was romantically involved with one of Combs’ employees at the time of the alleged assault. She accuses Combs and Sherman of drugging, binding, and raping her at the Bad Boy Records studio in New York City during the summer of 2001. In her complaint, Graves seeks legal action for gender-based violence and violations of New York law, citing the unlawful recording and distribution of footage documenting her assault.
After filing her lawsuit, Graves, flanked by high-profile lawyer Gloria Allred, spoke to the press. Struggling with emotion, she paused briefly to regain her composure before offering her remarks. She voiced, “The internal pain after being sexually assaulted has been incredibly deep and hard to put into words.” “It goes beyond just physical harm caused by and during the assault.”
Graves Seeks Justice After Alleged Video Exploitation by Diddy and Sherman
In November 2023, Graves found out that Diddy and Sherman had captured their alleged attack on video, according to her lawsuit. She claims they circulated the footage to multiple individuals with the intent to disgrace and embarrass both her and her boyfriend, even exploiting it as explicit content for profit. Graves claimed she contacted Sherman, urging him to either destroy the sex tape or hand it over, but received no reply.
In her legal claim, Graves calls for damages, both compensatory and punitive, without disclosing specific amounts. Additionally, she seeks a court ruling that would compel Diddy and Sherman to eliminate all copies of the video and ban any further sharing of the footage.
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