The-Dream is fighting to have the lawsuit accusing him of rape and sex trafficking dismissed. The R&B artist faces allegations from Chanaaz Mangroe, a former protégé, who claims he sexually and emotionally abused her—a charge The-Dream firmly denies. In a recent motion, The-Dream has asked the court to make several changes to the case, according to Variety.
He argues that the rape allegation should be dismissed because it does not constitute a separate civil claim under California law. Additionally, The-Dream wants 300 paragraphs removed from the lawsuit, which he argues are “irrelevant” to the case. He also seeks the removal of his company, Contra Paris LLC, from the lawsuit, citing its Delaware location. The-Dream further contends that the sex trafficking claim lacks legal merit. He argues that it fails to meet California’s requirement of a “commercial element.”
Desirée F. Moore, The-Dream’s attorney, criticized the lawsuit as a “shotgun pleading” and argued that it should be dismissed for not attributing specific allegations to each defendant. “Plaintiff’s Complaint contains dozens of allegations that are utterly irrelevant to her sexual battery and sex trafficking claims and are, instead, designed solely to smear Diamant’s name and reputation,” Moore said. She also alleged that the lawsuit is driven by a desire for “financial gain.” She reiterated that The-Dream insists there was no non-consensual sex. According to The-Dream, he ended their relationship, but Mangroe continued to pursue him.
Mangroe’s legal team responded by calling The-Dream’s dismissal arguments “wholly unpersuasive.” They look forward to challenging the motions and advancing to the discovery phase. The lawsuit includes claims about a 2015 incident. The-Dream allegedly confined Mangroe in a dark room and sexually assaulted her. The-Dream has labeled these accusations as “untrue and defamatory.”