Danity Kane’s Dawn Richard Reacts to Diddy Mixed Verdict

Danity Kane’s Dawn Richard shared her reaction to the Sean “Diddy” Combs verdict in a statement via her attorney Lisa Bloom.

“Today’s split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs,” Bloom told Us Weekly in a statement on Wednesday, July 2. “We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.”

Diddy, 55, was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution on Wednesday, July 2. He was not guilty on one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking. (Diddy pleaded not guilty to all charges and has denied the allegations against him.)

Richard, 41, previously filed a lawsuit against Diddy in September 2024, days before he was arrested. She accused him of manipulating, terrorizing and sexually abusing her and claimed that she witnessed him physically abusing ex-girlfriend Cassie (full name Casandra Ventura).

In her suit, Richard alleged that Diddy abused her by forcing her to rehearse days at a time without sleep and claimed he promised to advance her singing career if she complied with his demands.

Richard further alleged that Diddy touched her inappropriately after barging into her dressing room at his recording studio and once locked her in a car for two hours as she yelled for help. Her lawsuit also included additional claims that she saw Diddy harm other people in front of her, including his late girlfriend Kim Porter in 2005. Years later, Richard allegedly saw Diddy throw Cassie against a wall before choking her in his Los Angeles home.

Diddy denied Richard’s allegations in a September 2024 statement shared via his attorney Erica Wolff. “Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit. In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a payday — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour,” Wolff told Us at the time. “If Ms. Richard had such a negative experience with Making the Band and Danity Kane, she would not have chosen to continue working directly with Mr. Combs for Dirty Money, nor would she have returned for the Making the Band reboot in 2020 or agreed to be featured on The Love Album last year. It’s unfortunate that Ms. Richard has cast their 20-year friendship aside to try and get money from him, but Mr. Combs is confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court.”

Richard testified in the trial in May, alleging that she once saw Diddy try to hit Cassie, 38, with a hot skillet in 2009.

“He came downstairs angry and was saying, ‘Where the f*** was his eggs’ and he was telling Cassie she never gets anything right and where the f*** was his food,” Richard claimed. “And he came over to the skillet with the eggs in it and tried to hit her over the head, and she fell to the ground.”

Richard went on to allege that Diddy continued to beat Cassie while she was on the floor then “proceeded to take his arm around her neck and dragged her by the hair up the stairs.” The following day, Diddy allegedly invited Richard and her Dirty Money bandmate Kalenna Harper to record with him in the studio, where he told them the attack they’d both seen was “passion.” Richard further claimed he threatened them, saying, “People who say something can end up missing.”

Richard starred on Diddy’s MTV reality show Making the Band 3 from 2005 to 2006 and was a member of the girl group Danity Kane alongside Aubrey O’Day, D. Woods, Shannon Bex and Aundrea Fimbres.

After the verdict came in, O’Day, 41, also shared her thoughts on the verdict, saying in an Instagram Story video, “I’m gonna vomit.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.