A New York federal judge has dismissed 21 of 22 claims in a lawsuit filed by ‘Making the Band’ alum Sara Rivers against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, dealing a near-total legal victory to the embattled music mogul. The ruling significantly narrows the case just months before Combs faces sentencing on unrelated criminal charges.
Sara Rivers, a former member of hip-hop group Da Band formed on Combs’ early 2000s MTV reality show ‘Making the Band 2,’ had sued the music executive in February 2025. She accused Combs of sexual assault, creating a hostile work environment, and fraud during her time on the show. The lawsuit also named several of Combs’ companies and associates, including his mother Janice Combs.
On August 14, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff in Manhattan’s Southern District dismissed 21 claims with prejudice, meaning Rivers cannot refile these allegations. The dismissed counts included serious charges such as racketeering, assault and battery, forced labor, and false imprisonment. Judge Rakoff determined these claims were legally deficient and barred by statutes of limitations.
The sole remaining allegation—that Combs violated New York City’s Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act—was not definitively dismissed. Judge Rakoff postponed ruling on this claim pending guidance from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals regarding the law’s interpretation. This leaves a narrow path for Rivers to potentially renew this specific allegation depending on the higher court’s decision.
Rivers had accused Combs of cornering her at his Daddy’s House recording studio during the show’s production and inappropriately touching her. She also described a pattern of verbal abuse, including Combs telling band members he wanted to ‘eat your flesh’ when angry. These allegations were previously detailed in a January 2025 Peacock documentary about Combs.
For Combs, this ruling represents a rare legal victory amid multiple ongoing cases. The music mogul remains incarcerated at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center following his July 2025 conviction on unrelated prostitution-related charges. His attorney Erica Wolff declared the dismissal validated their position that Rivers’ claims were ‘meritless, time-barred and legally deficient.’
The case’s near-dismissal impacts several co-defendants including Combs’ companies and mother. Rivers’ legal team has not yet commented on the ruling. Her remaining claim’s fate hinges on the Second Circuit’s forthcoming interpretation of New York’s gender-violence statute, which could determine whether she pursues renewed litigation.
This development occurs six weeks before Combs’ October 2025 sentencing on his criminal conviction. While significantly weakening Rivers’ case, the pending gender-violence claim leaves a minor legal vulnerability for Combs. The appeals court’s ruling on the New York law will ultimately determine whether any aspect of Rivers’ lawsuit survives.