The-Dream, producer of Beyoncé, prosecuted for rape and sex trafficking

The-Dream made his name producing hits for women like Beyoncé and Rihanna. Now, another woman he worked with, singer Chanaaz Mangroe, is suing the producer for rape, sexual battery and sex trafficking. Mangroe, who played the role of Channii Monroe, says in her lawsuit that she first met The-Dream, the stage name of Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, in 2014 when she was a 23-year-old Dutch girl hoping to getting into American music. She claims The-Dream quickly “lured” her “into an abusive, violent and manipulative relationship,” while dangling his relationships with Beyoncé, Rihanna and Jay-Z. Mangroe is also suing Epic Records and The-Dream's label, Contra Paris, for sex trafficking, alleging they facilitated his abuse. The-Dream denied Mangroe's allegations to New York Times, calling them “false and defamatory” and adding that he was “deeply offended and saddened.” Vulture has contacted Epic Records.

In the lawsuit, Mangroe alleges that The-Dream pressured her into having sex during their first songwriting session for her debut album, telling her it was “part of the process.” She says this trend continued as they worked together and that The-Dream “became more and more controlling” after moving to Atlanta, her hometown. She also claims he became increasingly violent, strangling her and forcing her to consume alcohol. When Monroe signed a contract with Epic Records and Contra Paris in May 2015, she claims, The-Dream refused to allow her to communicate directly with Epic. After speaking to an executive about The-Dream's abuse, she claims, the executive told her to “find a way to work with Dream again.” His deal with Epic ultimately fell through when The-Dream failed to return his album.

Mangroe, 33, said in a statement that she filed the lawsuit both “for healing” personally and in hopes of preventing “future horrific abuse.” “Choosing to speak out about the trauma I survived was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but ultimately what Dream did to me made it impossible for me to live the life I was considering for myself and pursuing my goals as a singer and songwriter. ,” she said. Her lawyers, who also represented Cassie Ventura in the sexual assault lawsuit she filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs, compared The-Dream to the now-disgraced producer. “He's yet another horrific example of how men in the music industry use their power and influence to manipulate and harm others,” attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Firetog said.

The-Dream has enjoyed a career revival in recent years. He co-wrote and produced a number of tracks on Beyoncé's record. Renaissance, including the No. 1 hit “Break My Soul,” which won three Grammys and a nomination for Songwriter of the Year. Most recently, he was credited on ten tracks from Beyoncé's new album, Cowboy Carter. The-Dream has previously co-written No. 1 hits including Rihanna and Jay-Z's “Umbrella,” Mariah Carey's “Touch My Body” and Beyoncé's “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It).” He has also released a number of projects as a solo artist, most recently in 2020. SXTP4. The-Dream was previously arrested in 2014 for allegedly assaulting his pregnant ex-girlfriend, but the charges were dropped in 2015 due to lack of evidence.