The music producer suing Sean “Diddy” Combs over allegations of sexual harassment and assault has now listed actor Cuba Gooding Jr. as a defendant in the case, according to an amended civil complaint filed late Monday.
The document, which was first reported by NBC News, alleges that producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones was groped by Gooding Jr. aboard Combs’ rented yacht in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2023. The original lawsuit filed against Combs and others in late February included the claim against Gooding Jr. but did not list him as a defendant in the case, instead referencing the allegation in accusing Combs of having failed to protect Jones at the time.
According to the new complaint, Combs introduced Jones to Gooding Jr. on the vessel and left the pair alone in a “makeshift studio” on board. Gooding Jr. then allegedly “began touching, groping, and fondling Mr. Jones’ legs, his upper inner thighs near his groin, the small of his back near his buttocks, and his shoulders.”
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Jones became “extremely uncomfortable and proceeded to lean away” from Gooding Jr., the court filing claims, adding that Jones “rejected his advances and Mr. Gooding Jr. did not stop until Mr. Jones forcibly pushed him away.”
Gooding Jr. has not been charged with any crime in connection with the alleged incident.
The Oscar-winning actor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in 2022 after forcibly kissing a waitress in 2018. He completed a course of alcohol and behavior modification counseling and was able to withdraw the original plea and accept a lesser harassment violation, according to NBC News, resolving the case without jail time.
Jones’ suit accuses Combs of wrongdoing while they worked together on his 2023 Grammy-nominated record, The Love Album: Off the Grid. Jones alleges that he was made to endure “constant” sexual harassment and groping, violent threats, and was ordered to procure sex workers for Combs.
“Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar… shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday,” Shawn Holley, a lawyer for Combs, told The Daily Beast last month. “His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines.”
On Monday, federal agents raided Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami, reportedly in connection with a sex trafficking investigation.
