Accuser

The Metropolitan Police said it is “actively” looking into media reports that Prince Andrew tried to obtain personal information about his accuser Virginia Giuffre through his police protection.

“We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made,” the force said on Sunday.

It comes after Ms Giuffre’s brother called on King Charles III to strip Andrew of his “prince” title, following the announcement he would stop using his other titles.

Prince Andrew has not commented on the reports, but consistently denies all allegations against him. Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.

Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, said she was among the girls and young women sexually exploited by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his wealthy circle.

She also claimed that she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17.

According to the Mail on Sunday, Andrew asked his police protection officer to investigate her just before the newspaper published a photo of Ms Giuffre’s first meeting with the prince in February 2011.

The paper alleged that he gave the officer her date of birth and confidential social security number.

On Friday, Andrew announced that he was voluntarily handing back his titles and giving up membership of the Order of the Garter – the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain.

He will also cease to be the Duke of York, a title received from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Derek Dixon, the actor who raised allegations of sexual harassment against Tyler Perry, has broken his silence after suing the producer and media mogul for $260 million last month.

In his first interview since filing the bombshell lawsuit in June, “The Oval” actor Dixon told the Hollywood Reporter, “I couldn’t just let [Perry] get away with this.”

Dixon alleged in his complaint that when he worked for Perry from January 2020 to June 2024, the multi-hyphenate entertainer “sustained a pattern of workplace sexual harassment, assault and retaliation,” according to court documents reviewed by The Times. Dixon briefly appeared in BET’s “Ruthless” before landing a role in Perry’s “The Oval,” appearing in 85 episodes from 2021 to 2025.

“Everyone deserves to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to have sex with them,” Dixon said to THR in a story published Thursday. “My goal is to help ensure that the next generation of actors and creatives don’t have to choose between their dreams and their dignity.”

Seeking a response from Perry, The Times was referred Friday to the initial statement from Perry’s attorney Matthew Boyd, which denies Dixon’s allegations.

“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd said in the statement. “But Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”

Dixon recalled to the trade outlet how he initially came to work for Perry and further spoke on the producer’s allegedly incessant attempts to spark a sexual relationship with his employee. In his suit, Dixon describes sexually suggestive text messages Perry allegedly sent, including one where he asks the actor “What’s it going to take for you to have guiltless sex?”

More damning were the allegations of sexual assault Dixon raised against Perry in his lawsuit. The 46-page complaint detailed multiple incidents, including one at Perry’s guest house in Georgia when the producer pulled down Dixon’s underwear and groped his buttocks. Dixon’s complaint also alleged Perry sexually assaulted him during a previous stay at his guest house and during a meeting in the director’s trailer.

According to the lawsuit, Dixon refused Perry’s advances and walked a fine line, keeping his interactions with Perry professional but friendly enough to remain in his good graces. Recalling the alleged assault in the trailer, Dixon said it would seem Perry would back off and “say things like ‘We need to just be business.’”

“And I would think, ‘Great. Yes.’ Every time I thought it would stop,” he said.

Dixon claims in his lawsuit that Perry leveraged his standing in the entertainment industry — specifically his ability to bring the actor’s own TV series to life — “to create a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic.” The suit also says Dixon “woke up” in June 2024 and realized Perry was never going to be serious about helping Dixon ”grow his career.”

The actor reported the alleged abuse he experienced to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Though the lawsuit claims the complaint was not investigated, THR reports the case is pending. He told the magazine he felt compelled to sue Perry because “I was an employee, and he was my boss.”

He added: “For a long time, I convinced myself that it was part of the industry, or that somehow I had to accept it to keep working. But eventually, I couldn’t stay silent anymore.”

Since suing Perry, Dixon told THR he has received mixed reactions, including threats online and support from people who claim they experienced similar misconduct by Perry. He also said he decided to publicly accuse Perry as he feels attempts to settle matters privately “never result in the type of change necessary to protect victims.”

Despite going public with his allegations against Perry, Dixon said he fears that the producer “will be able to continue doing this without any major consequences.”

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ high-profile sex trafficking and RICO trial came to a close on Wednesday, prompting a variety of reactions from other musicians, accusers, supporters and social media critics.

Federal prosecutors accused the music mogul of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution in his criminal trial, which began last month in New York. On Wednesday, jurors found Combs, 55, guilty on two counts of the prostitution-related charge but cleared him of the most serious charges: racketeering and sex trafficking.

The split verdict proved a victory for Combs and his legal team, with defense attorney Marc Agnifilo telling Judge Arun Subramanian, “Mr. Combs has been given his life by this jury.”

Rapper 50 Cent — who has trolled Combs on social media since disturbing allegations against the Bad Boy Records founder first surfaced in late 2023 — offered a less formal take on the verdict. “Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man!” the pugnacious “In Da Club” artist said on Instagram, in an early version of his post.

50 Cent reacted to the verdict by posting a seemingly AI-generated selfie. “[Combs] beat the RICO,” he said, likening Combs to organized crime boss John Gotti. For the record, Gotti was convicted in 1992 of murder and racketeering.

On Tuesday, 50 Cent seemingly hinted at Combs’ partial victory with another Instagram post. “Diddy just told me to tell Yall don’t worry about him, he gonna hold it down,” he captioned another AI-generated photo.

Singer Cassie (real name Casandra Ventura) received praise from her legal team after Wednesday’s verdict. The “Me & U” artist dated Combs for about 11 years before their split in 2018. In November 2023 she sued Combs, becoming the first accuser to publicly raise allegations of rape, sexual assault and sex trafficking against Combs. During the weeks-long trial, a pregnant Cassie took the stand to testify about her relationship with Combs and the alleged sexual “freak-off” events he orchestrated.

Attorney Douglas Wigdor said in a statement to The Times on Wednesday that his client “paved the way” for Combs’ conviction. Combs faces up to 10 years in prison for each prostitution-related count. He has been in custody since he was indicted last year.

“By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice. We must repeat — with no reservation — that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial,” Wigdor said. “She displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion.”

Combs’ case “proved that change is long overdue,” added Wigdor, who also said his firm remains committed to “fight on behalf of survivors.”

Lisa Bloom, an attorney representing Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard in her sexual assault lawsuit against Combs, said on Instagram that “today’s split verdict is a disappointment” but noted the criminal case is different from the civil battle.

“We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn,” said Bloom.

Outside the courthouse, Combs supporters celebrated the Grammy winner’s partial victory by spraying baby oil on each other, according to video shared by NBC News reporter Matt Lavietes. Authorities notably seized narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant at Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles during the raids last year.

Several users on social media also expressed confusion and skepticism at the jury’s decision to acquit Combs on charges of sex trafficking. Citing the prostitution-related charges, one critic alleged in a tweet “that is QUITE LITERALLY SEX TRAFFICKING??? hello??”

“Someone [with] a law degree explain to me how that makes sense,” tweeted a second X user.

David Ring, an attorney who represents sexual abuse victims in some of the highest-profile cases, told The Times he felt “the government overreached” in their pursuit of RICO charges.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani also told The Times in an interview prior to Wednesday’s verdict that “the prosecution’s presentation was underwhelming.” He added that the high-profile case was “the most expensive prostitution trial in American history. What a huge win for the defense and a tremendous loss for the prosecution.”

Subramanian decided in a late afternoon hearing on Wednesday that Combs would remain behind bars until his sentencing, citing past violent incidents that his attorney acknowledged during the trial. The rapper was denied release on a $1 million bond. Subramanian suggested a sentencing hearing for Oct. 3, but Combs’ lawyers are seeking an earlier date.

Times staff writers Richard Winton and August Brown contributed to this report.

Former Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer prevailed in court Monday, when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ordered the woman who accused him of sexual assault to pay more than $300,000 for violating the terms of a settlement agreement.

Bauer and Lindsey Hill, the woman whose 2021 allegations triggered a Major League Baseball investigation that resulted in Bauer’s suspension, settled dueling lawsuits two years ago. He had sued her for defamation, she had sued him for assault and sexual battery, and the parties agreed that neither had paid any money to the other.

In an email to Bauer’s attorneys, Hill’s attorneys said she would receive $300,000 from her insurance policy. On Monday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Crowley ordered Hill to pay $309,832.02.

After the settlement, Hill claimed on social media that Bauer “handed back an insurance sum to me that was meant for him in order for me to drop my countersuit.”

Bauer sued her in October, citing 21 similar claims on a podcast or on social media — all of them alleged violations of a settlement provision forbidding her from saying Bauer or any representative “paid her any money as consideration for the settlement.” Each alleged violation cost $10,000, according to the terms of the settlement agreement.

Hill did not contest or respond to the suit. After telling Bauer’s attorneys in February they had not made a strong enough case and then telling them in April they had not justified their fees, Crowley granted Bauer a victory by default and ruled his attorneys had produced “sufficient evidence to justify the award.”

The award included $220,000 for the 22 violations of the agreement. The remaining money requested by Bauer’s attorneys and approved by Crowley covered attorney fees and costs, plus interest on the award.

On Tuesday, after her X account had been deactivated, Hill resumed posting there and acknowledged she had “refused to participate in this suit in any way shape or form.” She nonetheless said she would appeal and “further delay any shot he ever had at getting his career back.”

Wrote Hill: “He will never see a cent from me.”

New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has been accused of raping and abusing a woman who says she dated the former Duke standout and No. 1 overall draft pick from 2018-2023.

In a civil lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, a woman identified as Jane Doe provides details of two alleged instances in 2020 during which Williamson raped her in a Beverly Hills apartment he was renting at the time.

“These two incidents were not isolated,” the lawsuit states. “Defendant continued to abuse, rape, assault, and batter Plaintiff in California and other states, including Louisiana and Texas, until the relationship ended in 2023.”

Williamson’s attorneys at Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, LLC, denied the accusations in a statement emailed to The Times on Friday.

“The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless,” the firm stated. “This appears to be an attempt to exploit a professional athlete driven by a financial motive rather than any legitimate grievance.”

Williamson’s attorneys said he and the accuser “never dated, but did maintain a consensual, casual relationship.” The firm added that “Mr. Williamson also intends to file counterclaims and seek significant damages for this defamatory lawsuit.”

Williamson’s accuser is seeking unspecified damages for nine causes of action that include assault, sexual battery, domestic violence, burglary, stalking and false imprisonment.

“Our client and we do not want to litigate this case in the press. That’s not our intent,” attorney Sam Taylor from the Lanier Law Firm, which is representing the accuser, told The Times on Friday.

“However, I do say this is a very serious case, reflected in the allegations in the complaint. Our client just looks forward to her day in court where she can talk to a jury of her peers and tell them what happened to her and how bad it was and see justice against Mr. Williamson.”

Taylor said that “as of now,” his client is not planning to file lawsuits in any of the other locations where alleged incidents took place.

The Pelicans did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

According to the lawsuit, the two began dating during Williamson’s freshman, and only, year at Duke, where he played during the 2018-19 season.

“During the course of their relationship, Defendant engaged in a continuing pattern of abusive, controlling, and threatening behavior toward Plaintiff,” the lawsuit states. “His wrongful conduct occurred in Louisiana and continued thereafter across several states. The abuse was sexual, physical, emotional, and financial in nature.”

Williamson moved to Beverly Hills for training and rented a house in the area during the fall of 2020, according to the filing. The lawsuit provides explicit details of two alleged instances in which Williamson raped the accuser, “on or about” Sept. 23, 2020, and on Oct. 10, 2020.

The lawsuit also alleges that Williamson committed many other “acts of criminal violence” against his accuser during their relationship, including strangling her multiple times to the point she lost consciousness, suffocating and/or smothering her, beating and kicking her, threatening to kill her and her family members, and pointing a loaded firearm to her head.

Williamson “was either drunk or on cocaine” while allegedly committing many of those acts, the lawsuit states.

“As a direct and proximate result of Defendant’s conduct, Plaintiff has suffered severe emotional distress, anxiety, depression, humiliation, loss of sleep, and other physical and emotional injuries,” the lawsuit states. “As a further direct and proximate result of Defendant’s conduct, Plaintiff has incurred expenses for medical and psychological treatment, therapy, and counseling.”