Universal Music Group (UMG) is pushing back hard against its inclusion in a sweeping lawsuit targeting music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, claiming it has been unfairly entangled in legal proceedings that have little—if anything—to do with the company.
The legal action stems from a bombshell lawsuit filed by Sara Rivers, a former member of the reality TV music group Making the Band, who accuses Diddy and a wide web of associates of abusive and hostile conduct during her time under his influence. The lawsuit names more than two dozen defendants, including Diddy’s companies, associates—and, controversially, UMG.
But Universal says it’s being dragged into a fight it doesn’t belong in.
In newly filed court documents obtained by TMZ, UMG’s legal team is asking a judge to toss out all claims against the music giant. The company argues that Rivers’ lawsuit is “legally defective,” citing federal claims that are either past the statute of limitations or invalid under New York law. Moreover, UMG contends that the filing improperly groups defendants together without presenting clear or direct accusations of wrongdoing against the company.
UMG points out that in the mammoth 1,000-plus-paragraph complaint, the company is mentioned in only 10 paragraphs—none of which, it says, establish any specific liability or wrongdoing.
“The claims against Universal are not only insufficient but completely irrelevant to the central accusations against Mr. Combs,” the company argues in its motion. UMG characterizes its inclusion in the suit as an overreach, suggesting it’s being used to pad the list of defendants in an already high-profile legal spectacle.
At this stage, no ruling has been issued. The court is still reviewing Universal’s request to dismiss the claims.
