Music producer The-Dream sued over allegations of sex trafficking, battery and rape

Producer The-Dream has been accused of sex trafficking, sexual assault and rape in a new lawsuit filed by the same firm that represented Sean “Diddy” Combs' ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, in his now-settled case against the hip-hop mogul.

The eight-time Grammy winner — named in the lawsuit as Terius Gesteelde-Diamant — is accused in the civil trial of trafficking then-23-year-old songwriter Chanaaz Mangroe, also known as of Channii Monroe, in 2014. Mangroe alleged that she was trafficked under the guise of a legitimate recording and distribution deal and that the “Umbrella” and “All of the Lights” hitmaker l Instead, she was lured into an abusive, violent and manipulative relationship. She is seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial.

In court documents filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Mangroe alleged that The-Dream's “depraved behavior” was facilitated by his art label Contra Paris LLC and record label Epic Records, in whom she claims he persuaded to invest in Mangroe, cut her out of the negotiations, then used “the company's funding to help him with his trafficking business”.

Representatives for The-Dream and Epic Records did not immediately respond to The Times' requests for comment Tuesday.

However, in a statement to the New York Times, the “Renaissance” producer denied the allegations.

“These claims are false and defamatory,” he said. “I oppose all forms of harassment and have always sought to help people achieve their career goals. As someone committed to making a positive impact on my fellow artists and the world at large, I am deeply offended and saddened by these accusations. »

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Working in the United States on an international visa from the Netherlands in 2014, Mangroe said she was invited via social media to join The-Dream and partner Tricky Stewart in Atlanta. Mangroe, who was on a three-year visa to work as a songwriter, was living in Los Angeles at the time and claimed the introduction was “far from the incredible breakthrough opportunity she imagined”.

“Ms. Mangroe's experience with Dream was nothing short of a prolonged nightmare,” says the 60-page complaint, obtained Tuesday by The Times. “Under the guise of pursuing a legitimate recording and publishing contract with Ms. Mangroe, Dream lured the vulnerable young artist into an abusive, violent and manipulative relationship filled with physical assault, violent sexual encounters and horrific psychological manipulation .”

She claimed the producer used her voice without compensating or crediting her on his leaked 2016 track “Transparent” and also used her for “his basic desires.” She alleged that he locked her in a dark room adjacent to a recording studio, had violent sex with her, and then left her naked and alone for hours. She alleged he came back to have sex with her and asked her to tell him she loved him, according to the complaint.

Mangroe also accused the producer of using his age and influence in the music industry to manipulate her into believing she needed him to succeed and “chained her into his world through false promises ” to gain his trust. She alleged that he assured her that he would sponsor an extension of her international visa; write hit songs for her (as he said he did for Beyoncé and Rihanna) if she became part of his “sanctuary”; offered him a lofty version of recording and publishing deals with major labels; and told him she would be opening for Beyoncé on an upcoming tour.

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She alleged that The-Dream – who is married with nine children by four women – controlled every aspect of her stay in the United States, including the provision of accommodation in Los Angeles, transportation and travel expenses. food and careful monitoring of its location at all times. He allegedly forced her “to drink excessive amounts of alcohol” and often strangled her during violent sex, even choking her until she almost lost consciousness. He also allegedly refused to wear a condom during sex despite her protests and became furious when he discovered she was taking birth control “because he thought it was a sign of disrespect,” it says. the complaint.

She also alleged that he raped her in the back of a renovated Sprinter van and forced her to perform sexual acts in a public movie theater, and that he also recorded during sexual intercourse and that he “used the existence of the recording to threaten to silence her.” “

Mangroe alleges that her career was disrupted, her music was taken without explanation and she was never compensated for her work because “every attempt to revive her career was hijacked by Dream and those who support him.” . She said she suffered trauma from which she had yet to recover, including feeling broken as an artist, and was constantly afraid for her physical safety and tormented by reminders of the violence and control she allegedly suffered.

“Nearly a decade later, Ms. Mangroe is still putting her life together, but she knows that without talking about what Dream did to her, she will never be able to heal the harm he caused.” , the complaint said. “So she is filing this lawsuit to speak for herself and other female artists who have been tormented by powerful, selfish men in the recording industry. She seeks justice and accountability to prevent further horrible abuse like she experienced, and to regain her self-esteem as an artist and as a woman.”

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In a statement provided to the Times by her attorney, Mangroe said choosing to talk about her trauma was a difficult decision, but one she hopes will help survivors of abuse.

“But ultimately, what Dream did to me kept me from living the life I envisioned and pursuing my goals as a singer and songwriter,” she said. “Ultimately, my silence became too painful and I realized I needed to tell my story to heal. I hope this will also help others and prevent future horrific abuse.”

“This is yet another horrific example of how men in the music industry use their power and influence to manipulate and harm others,” said attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Firetog, partners at Wigdor LLP. . “Dream, like Sean Combs did with Ms. Ventura and others, used his position as a prominent artist and producer to subject Ms. Mangroe to violent physical, psychological and sexual abuse. Even though she did not will never fully recover from what he and those others suffered, who supported him, her willingness to speak out now is proof of her extraordinary strength. We are honored to represent her.

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This story was originally published in the Los Angeles Times.