Judge dismisses all claims against Cassie Ventura in the $35 million freak off lawsuit but the case against Diddy continues
Clayton Howard originally sought $35 million in his filing.
A federal judge has officially removed Cassie Ventura from a massive $35 million legal battle. According to Complex, U.S. District Judge Anne Hwang granted the request to dismiss the singer from the lawsuit after a hearing held on October 21, 2026. The case was filed by a former male escort named Clayton Howard. He alleged he was involved in coerced sessions with both Ventura and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
The legal proceedings are now moving forward without Ventura involved as a defendant. This decision marks a significant shift in the trajectory of the litigation. The court dismissed all claims against Ventura with prejudice. This means Howard cannot attempt to bring the same claims against her again. The court minutes captured the ruling clearly. “Defendant Ventura’s motion to dismiss is hereby granted; this will be the order as stated on the record,” the document stated.
Howard is a former escort who operated under the name ‘Dave’. He originally named Ventura, Combs, Bad Boy Entertainment LLC, and CeOpco LLC in his filing. The lawsuit claimed Howard was hired by the pair on several occasions. He alleged that Ventura arranged these sessions under the direction of Combs. He also claimed that he was subjected to drugs and coercion. These incidents allegedly took place across New York, Miami, and Los Angeles.
Attorneys representing Ventura mounted a strong defense against these accusations
Ventura’s lawyers argued that Howard failed to connect her actions to any sexual activity performed through force or fraud. They highlighted that Howard received multiple cash payments for these encounters. They also pointed to the fact that he voluntarily returned for more visits. This evidence was used to challenge the claim that he was a victim of trafficking.
The defense also noted that Howard previously complained about the control Combs exerted over Ventura. They argued that this demonstrated Combs held authority over when the sessions ended. Her legal team was firm in their assessment of the case. “These defects are not curable by better drafting or any reframing of the facts,” they wrote in their filings. The court seemingly agreed with this perspective during the hearing.
The history of this case has been long and complicated. A ruling in July 2025 allowed Howard another opportunity to pursue his claims. He submitted a fifth amended complaint on August 3, 2025. Howard also tried to provide a fresh rewrite of his story just days before the October hearing. This attempt focused on a claim regarding 12 hours of confinement in Miami during December 2016. The judge denied this specific request to amend his filing.
Ventura has moved on from her life in the United States
Court documents indicate she is a U.S. citizen now living abroad. Ventura has no plans to move back to the country. She resides with her husband, Alex Fine, and their three children. She reportedly relocated before her testimony in the sex trafficking and racketeering trial involving Combs.
The situation remains active for other parties named in the lawsuit. The same court order granted the motion to dismiss for Bad Boy Entertainment and CeOpco only in part. Howard was granted 14 days to amend those parts of his complaint. The court also indicated it would consider a request from Howard to file an additional response.
Combs is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence. This sentence was imposed last October. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout these legal challenges. The disgraced music mogul was ordered to provide an answer to the current lawsuit by a deadline of November 4.
Since Ventura has been entirely cleared of the claims brought by Howard, the focus of the litigation will now remain on Combs as the primary defendant. Howard originally sought a sum of $35 million in his filing. The path forward for that claim is now restricted to the remaining defendants.
Ventura has kept a low profile since leaving the country. Her relocation was a quiet move ahead of the high-stakes trial. The court was kept informed of her status as a resident outside the United States. This information was included in the recent filings regarding the dismissal.
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