Sean Combs Sued by Former Child Actor Who Alleges Sexual Assault in 2007

Sean Combs — already serving a federal prison sentence — is facing a new civil lawsuit from a former child actor who alleges Combs sexually assaulted him at a Hollywood networking event nearly two decades ago.

The plaintiff, filing anonymously as John YH Roe, filed the complaint on June 8 and is requesting a civil jury trial. The lawsuit alleges the incident occurred in May 2007 at an event in the Hollywood Hills when the plaintiff was a minor under the age of 18. His exact age at the time is not specified in the complaint.

According to court documents, Combs approached the young actor and told him he thought he'd be a good fit for an upcoming project. He then asked to speak with him privately about "some potential opportunities" and led him to a backroom, closing the door behind them.

There, the lawsuit alleges, Combs offered the minor alcohol before beginning to touch him despite the boy communicating that he was uncomfortable. The complaint then alleges Combs pulled down the child's pants and underwear and performed oral sex on him while touching himself.

The plaintiff is also suing his former talent agents who were representing him at the time of the alleged incident.

Combs's spokesperson denied the allegations. "This is a lie and completely made up. Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone," said Juda S. Engelmayer. "These allegations will be disproven like all of the rest. He is going to pursue all avenues he can to defend himself and make sure those who start and spread lies are held responsible."

Where Combs Is Now

Combs is currently serving a sentence of more than four years — 50 months — at Fort Dix federal prison in New Jersey after being convicted last year on two counts of violating the Mann Act, which prohibits transporting people across state lines for prostitution-related purposes.

He was acquitted on more serious charges including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking — a verdict that drew significant criticism at the time given the scope of the allegations against him and the evidence presented at trial. The investigation stemmed largely from what prosecutors called "freak-off" sex parties at which some attendees were allegedly forced to participate against their will.

Combs has made attempts to shorten his sentence including seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump. That pardon was not granted.

The Civil Case Landscape

This new lawsuit joins a long and growing list of civil claims against Combs. Since his arrest and conviction he has been sued by multiple people alleging various forms of sexual misconduct. He has denied wrongdoing in all of them.

The most high-profile prior civil case came from former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who sued Combs in late 2023 for rape and physical abuse. That case was settled before trial. Ventura went on to serve as a key witness in the federal criminal case.

Why Civil Suits Matter Even After a Criminal Conviction

Combs's federal conviction covered specific charges under the Mann Act. Civil lawsuits operate under a completely different legal standard — the burden of proof is preponderance of the evidence rather than beyond a reasonable doubt, meaning plaintiffs need only show it's more likely than not that the alleged conduct occurred.

This matters particularly for allegations like the one in this new lawsuit — conduct that allegedly occurred in 2007, well outside the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution in most jurisdictions. Civil law in some states, including California, has expanded statutes of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims in recent years, specifically to allow adults to bring cases for abuse that occurred when they were minors.

The plaintiff here is suing both Combs and the agents who represented him at the time — a legal strategy that targets the adults who allegedly had a duty of care toward the minor and placed him in a situation where the alleged assault could occur.

Combs is in federal prison, denying everything, and the lawsuits keep coming.

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