Sara Rivers Risks Losing Appeal Over Diddy Lawsuit's Dismissal

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares 628 Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Sara Rivers Risks Losing Appeal Diddy Lawsuit Dismissed Hip Hop News
Feb 15, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Hip-hop artist Sean Combs after the 2014 NBA All Star dunk contest at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images
Former Da Band member Sara Rivers accused Diddy of sexual assault, harassment, and more over her "Making The Band 2" tenure.

Diddy is currently facing some allegedly concerning prison conditions amid his federal sentence, but his civil situation is still heating up. This recent development might be good news for him, though, as it relates to Sara Rivers' dismissed sexual assault lawsuit against him.

For those unaware, the former Da Band member accused Sean Combs of sexual assault, harassment, racketeering, and more in a February 2025 lawsuit. This was over her time on Making The Band 2, and the filing sought $60 million in damages. Rivers claimed the Bad Boy mogul "backed her into a corner" and groped her amid "inhumane" living conditions during the reality television show's production, and also accused him and his affiliated companies of exploiting her labor for the purposes of career sabotage.

But last August, Judge Jed S. Rakoff dismissed almost all of her claims with prejudice, blocking the door for refiling. The surviving count, which is under New York's Gender Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, must get a higher court's approval concerning the law's ability to revive the accusation. But now, according to an exclusive AllHipHop report from Grouchy Greg Watkins, Sara Rivers' chance to appeal the dismissal might have disappeared.

Diddy Lawsuit

NFL: Super Bowl XLVIII-REVOLT Party
Feb 1, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Recording artist/rapper Sean Combs aka Diddy performs during the Revolt Party at the Time Warner Cable Studios. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images

Per the outlet, Rivers had to file a Form C document by October 17 if she wanted the court to not dismiss her appeal. The form reportedly outlines both parties and sets the legal move's record in the courts. Court records now reportedly indicate that she missed the deadline and caused a default in the case under federal appellate law. This is the latest step in the former Da Band member's legal pursuit, which she initially appealed on September 15.

But this isn't Diddy's only civil challenge these days, although it will seemingly disappear soon. For example, a judge recently allowed him to serve accuser Courtney Burgess with a defamation lawsuit via a newspaper. This is because Puff remains behind bars and is thus unable to undergo any significant legal action on his own accord.

We will see if there is more information to this Rivers case. For now, it seems like the lawsuit is over.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

Comments 0