Latest news with #TraffickingVictimsProtectionAct
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NEWS OF THE WEEK: Judge dismisses five charges against Sean 'Diddy' Combs
A judge has dismissed five charges against Sean 'Diddy' Combs in a $30 million sexual assault lawsuit. The accusations from former producer Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones alleged racketeering, infliction of emotional distress and sexual assault, among other allegations. In an order filed earlier today and reviewed by Variety, Judge J Paul Oetken granted and denied parts of Combs' motion to dismiss the case. The judge dismissed the charges of racketeering; negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress; breach of contract; and a Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) claim.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Just Scored a Rare Legal Win, But It's Not All Good News
Sean 'Diddy' Combs may be counting down the days until his federal sex crime trial in May, but it appears he's scored a rare legal win in a different area before he has his day in court. But he still can't celebrate just yet and we'll tell you why. On Monday, a New York judge decided to dismiss partial claims lobbed against the disgraced hip-hop mogul by Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones back in February 2024. The bombshell sexual assault lawsuit was one of the first that came out against Diddy that triggered his eventual downfall. In the suit, Jones made a myriad of horrendous accusations against the Bad Boy producer including, but not limited to: sexual harassment, drugging, violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). Diddy, his company Combs Global; his son Justin Combs; his chief of staff Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam were all named as defendants in the suit. Now however, per PEOPLE, it was revealed that the judge decided to dismiss Jones' claims of RICO violations against Diddy and the rest of the defendants—signaling a rare, major win for the heaviest charge of them all. The TVPA violations were also dropped against Combs Global, but Diddy and Khorram still face those charges. The judge also dismissed Jones' claims of emotional distress and breach of contract. But Diddy will still face charges of sexual assault and the 'premises liability claim' which argues that Jones was sexually assaulted multiple times on Diddy's property. Additionally, the judge also issued a warning against Jones' lawyer Tyrone Blackburn and his 'unsettling' conduct. 'Blackburn's filings are replete with inaccurate statements of law, conclusory accusations, and inappropriate ad hominem attacks on opposing counsel,' the judge wrote. But Blackburn remains unfazed. 'We view this as a win,' Blackburn said in a statement to USA Today on Tuesday. 'Defendants wanted a total dismissal and they failed to get it. [Combs and Khorram] 'do not want me to do discovery...I know where all of the bodies are buried and I have a HUGE shovel. Time to start digging!' For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hundreds of migrant kids in Michigan may lose legal help after Trump ends program
About 800 migrant children in Michigan may soon lack legal representation in courts after the administration of President Donald Trump abruptly shut down most of a program that helped pay for attorneys and other legal assistance. Immigrant activists said the Trump administration's action is a cruel move that will lead to unaccompanied minors in Michigan being unable to get a fair hearing and lead to more abuse and deportations. One immigrant advocate in Michigan calls it the worst attack on immigrant children since the family separation crisis in 2018 during Trump's first term, when some migrant children were separated from families. On Friday, the Trump administration sent a termination of services notice to the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center and similar groups across the country to end its Unaccompanied Children Program, which is paid for with government funds. The program allowed children who arrived in the U.S. without a parent to be represented by attorneys in immigration courts. Lawyers who are trained in how to work with vulnerable children with language barriers are needed to properly defend them in court, said Christine Sauvé, manager of policy and communication at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. Children sometimes travel to the U.S. on their own to escape hardships or to reach other family members who are already in the U.S. The 800 children in Michigan helped by the legal program are part of 26,000 children across the country who will be affected, advocates said. It's the latest move by Trump to toughen immigration enforcement as he vows to deport a record number of immigrants, often linking them to crime. Earlier this year, Trump shut down another legal program to help adults in immigration courts, but after a lawsuit, that program was started up again. Since 2017, the legal program for unaccompanied children at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center has helped represent almost 1,400 children. In addition, the center has provided 5,686 "Know Your Rights" sessions and 4,061 legal screenings, and identified 6,158 potential pathways for relief for children. "These numbers result in real, meaningful changes in the lives of children and families, children who grow up to thrive and be part of our communities," Sauvé told the Free Press on Tuesday. "It is difficult to find replacement attorneys for 800 children," she added. "There's things that (regular) attorneys may not be familiar with, in terms of: taking breaks during an interview to allow the child to play or take a break. There's specific language resources: Many of the children speak minority languages that aren't commonly spoken here, and so sometimes providing that translation or interpretation can be hard for pro bono attorneys to take on." Some advocates say the shuttering of the program could lead to violations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which helps protect children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or a legal guardian. Emily Hilliard, deputy press secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the placement of unaccompanied children, told the Free Press by email Tuesday their department 'continues to meet the legal requirements established' by the Act and the Flores settlement of 1997 that resulted from a lawsuit, creating rules to protect immigrant children in U.S. custody. "We are rolling back decades of progress on protecting the rights of immigrant children," said Susan Reed, director at MIRC. "Children with representation are more likely to win their cases and unrepresented children tend to lose, so this action will change the course of our clients' whole lives.' Reed called it "the largest attack on immigrant children in Michigan since we faced the family separation crisis in 2018.' The move could also lead to MIRC, one of the leading immigrant advocacy groups in Michigan, having to eliminate 80% of its staff, Sauvé said. More: Private for-profit company secures ICE contract to house immigrants in Michigan prison MIRC is currently looking for other ways to keep the program running through donations or other means, but it's unclear whether it can survive. The Acacia Center for Justice in Washington, D.C. contracted with the U.S. government on the legal program for unaccompanied children. Acacia then subcontracted with various groups, such as the Michigan center. 'The administration's decision to partially terminate this program flies in the face of decades of work and bipartisan cooperation spent ensuring children who have been trafficked or are at risk of trafficking have child-friendly legal representatives protecting their legal rights and interests," Shaina Aber, executive director of the Acacia Center for Justice, said in a statement. In a separate action, the Trump administration also ended this week a rule that had restricted the government from sharing information on the legal status of sponsors, often family members, of unaccompanied migrant children to law enforcement, Reuters reported. The move could lead to family members not coming forward to sponsor children who need their help out of fear of themselves being targeted by immigration agents. Reuters contributed to this report. Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@ or X @nwarikoo This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Migrant children in Michigan lose legal help as Trump ends program
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Scores Major Win As Judge Dismisses Five Charges Against Rapper In $30M Sexual Assault Lawsuit
Sean "Diddy" Combs now has fewer charges to face in the $30 million lawsuit filed against him by former associate Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones. In a ruling on Monday, the presiding judge deemed some of the charges, including a RICO claim, legally deficient. He also explained the reason behind his decision and gave a strong reprimand to Lil Rod's lawyer for his underhanded legal tactics. On Monday, Diddy gained another win in his ongoing legal battles since his arrest in September last year. The rapper was sued by a former associate, Rodney' Lil Rod' Jones, who claimed that he was groomed, abused, and exploited by the embattled rapper during the time that they worked together. Some of the charges that Lil Rod brought against Diddy have now been dismissed by Judge J. Paul Oetken of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in a 31-page ruling. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the judge struck out the racketeering accusation along with the breach of contract claim, which referenced Lil Rod's claims that he was stiffed on $50,000 in payment, publishing shares, and royalties for his work on Diddy's "The Love Album: Off the Grid." Three other claims related to infliction of emotional distress were also dismissed alongside another cause of action in the suit related to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. In his ruling, Oetken extensively explained why he did not allow Lil Rod and his lawyers to move forward with the RICO charges. "[Combs'] alleged refusal to honor the contract with Jones is not itself a RICO predicate act, even if the contract breach resulted from Jones's refusal to participate in Combs's alleged racketeering scheme," he wrote. The judge added, "In sum, whether or not Jones has adequately alleged the existence of a RICO enterprise, he has not tied the activities of that enterprise to defendants' breach of contract, or any other' business or property' harm incurred by Jones." Oetken went further to explain why the breach of contract charge was also dismissed, claiming that Diddy and Lil Rod had no written payment agreement that compelled the embattled rapper to pay his former associate dividends and royalties. Following the ruling, Diddy only has to answer for claims of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and premises liability, which were all part of the initial suit. Still, Lil Rod's lawyer, Tyrone A. Blackburn, is unfazed by these dismissals despite the implication that he likely now has a slimmer case against Diddy. In an interview with the outlet after the ruling, he said that he respects the decision and now intends to move forward with legal discovery on the rest of the case, which also named Diddy's chief of staff, Kristina Khorram. "We view this as a win. [The] defendants wanted a total dismissal, and they failed to get it," Blackburn told The Hollywood Reporter. "I know where all of the bodies are buried, and I have a huge shovel. Time to start digging!" Diddy's recent court win comes after prosecutors were also ordered to reveal the name of his accusers in his ongoing federal sex crimes trial. The names the music mogul's attorneys sought were the ones listed in the indictment brought against the music mogul in September 2024. Although it was already clear that Diddy's ex-girlfriend Cassie was one of the accusers, the rest of the names were unknown to the rapper and his attorneys prior to the recent ruling. They were only referred to as Victim 1, Victim 2, and Victim 3, with Cassie being noted as Victim 1, seemingly due to her viral assault video being a key piece of evidence in the upcoming trial. Meanwhile, the names will remain only known to Diddy's lawyers and the prosecutors, as the judge also added an "under an Attorney's Eyes Only designation" caveat. As for Diddy, he remains in detention at a federal facility in New York ahead of his trial in May. During a recent court appearance, Diddy faced allegations from three new victims that he sexually abused them between 2004 to 2024, which he pleaded not guilty to. According to the New York Post, the rapper appeared "bloated" and "old" in his tan prison jumpsuit, sporting gray hair and a gray chinstrap beard. CBS reporter Alice Gainer also noted the rapper's aged appearance, writing on X, "Combs walked into courtroom sporting grey hair and a grey beard..." This development comes as no surprise, as the Bad Boy Records founder has been locked behind bars at the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his September arrest.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Wins Dismissal of Lil Rod's RICO, Breach of Contract Claims as Civil Lawsuit Moves Forward
Sean 'Diddy' Combs won a small portion of his uphill legal battle on Monday when a federal judge dismissed the Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Act (RICO) portion and four other causes of action brought in the legal filing from Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones, the producer whose accusations preceded a flood of legal complaints against the rap mogul and his company. On Monday, Judge J. Paul Oetken of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York weighed in on Combs' defense team's motion to dismiss Jones v. Combs et al., in a 31-page opinion, granting the motion in part but denying other portions related to sexual assault and trafficking. The slimmed-down civil case will still move forward, but with the racketeering accusation struck from the case, along with the breach of contract claim and three causes of action related to infliction of emotional distress. Judge Oetken also dismissed a claim in the suit related to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. More from The Hollywood Reporter Calling All Deadheads: 2025's Best Grateful Dead Merch Beat Music Fund Strikes Catalog Deal With Tiga Covering Such Hits as "Sunglasses at Night" Napster Finds New Owners in $200M Acquisition In the dismissal of the RICO element of the lawsuit, the judge decided that Jones' case fails to prove any injury to his business or property caused by a RICO enterprise overseen by Diddy and therefore, he can't sue under the claim that his complaints relate to any alleged illicit enterprise. The judge said Jones' nonpayment claim also lacked a 'causal connection' with any purported racketeering activity. '[Combs'] alleged refusal to honor the contract with Jones is not itself a RICO predicate act, even if the contract breach resulted from Jones's refusal to participate in Combs's alleged racketeering scheme,' the judge wrote. 'In sum, whether or not Jones has adequately alleged the existence of a RICO enterprise, he has not tied the activities of that enterprise to defendants' breach of contract, or any other 'business or property' harm incurred by Jones.' The breach of contract element was dismissed because nothing relating to a payment agreement was in writing, and a year has passed since any alleged agreement was made between Jones and Combs or his company. The claims of emotional distress were also found to be legally deficient. Judge Oetken's decision was lopsided, however, and Combs, along with his Chief of Staff Kristina Khorram, will still have to answer for claims of sex trafficking; additional claims against Combs related to sexual assault and premises liability will also proceed, the judge decided, but the trafficking claim against Combs Global was dismissed. In 2022, Jones was hired by Combs to work on what would become The Love Album: Off the Grid, Combs' first studio record since 2006. He spent over a year in Combs' inner circle, living and traveling with Combs and he also became his videographer in the day-to-day. When he exited the mogul's orbit, he claims he was groomed, abused, exploited, and stiffed on $50,000 in payment, publishing shares and royalties for his work on the Grammy-nominated album. Jones' case was filed on Feb. 26 in New York federal court seeking $30 million in restitution. In the lengthy filing, which was later amended to add more damning allegations, Jones levels harsh accusations against Combs include alleging that he was sexually assaulted, allegedly forced by Combs to engage in sex acts, made to solicit sex workers, drugged, humiliated and says he was repeatedly groped on his anus and genitals while in Combs' orbit. While portions of the case will proceed after Monday's decision, the judge was curt as it admonished Jones and his attorney, using some strong language to cast off the plaintiff's attempted legal maneuver and his counsel's conduct. Judge Oetken states that Jones' effort to convert a 'garden variety…. breach of contract case' into a RICO suit' falls flat. 'Jones fails to address any [racketeering] arguments in his opposition brief, and while the Court prefers to decide issues on the merits, it should not be necessary to root around a 402-paragraph complaint to contrive novel arguments on Jones's behalf,' he wrote in his memo. A special 'warning to counsel' section was also included in the decision, directed to Blackburn, stating that his filings are 'replete with inaccurate statements of law, conclusory accusations, and inappropriate ad hominem attacks on opposing counsel.' 'For example, in urging the Court to consider a grand jury indictment of Combs on related criminal charges, Blackburn writes 'as evidenced by U.S. Attorney Williams's press conference and the Grand Jury indictment… Defendant Sean Combs and the Combs RICO Enterprise are presumed guilty of being a RICO criminal organization,'' the judge quoted before writing, 'That any licensed member of the bar would espouse such an absurd understanding of the law is not just disturbing, but shocking.' The judge wrote that the operative complaint and Blackburn's opposition brief are full of similar irrelevant insults, misstatements, and exaggerations. He added that the court 'will not hold Blackburn's antics against Jones at this point,' but warned the attorney of looming sanctions or referral for discipline should such conduct continue. Blackburn told The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday that he respects Judge Oetkens's order and opinion and is pleased with the decision, as he can now proceed with legal discovery related to the case, naming both Combs and Khorram. 'We view this as a win. [The] defendants wanted a total dismissal, and they failed to get it,' Blackburn said. 'I know where all of the bodies are buried, and I have a huge shovel. Time to start digging!' Khorram broke her silence last week, months after being named in at least three civil lawsuits alongside her former boss, claiming that she is innocent and that she has 'never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone.' Combs is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn as he awaits trial in May, following his September arrest on federal RICO and sex trafficking charges. The beleaguered rap mogul is also facing dozens of lawsuits claiming he was involved in sex trafficking, sexual assault and misconduct over his decades in the music and fashion industry. He has denied all legal claims against him. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
