Newly unearthed photos show Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs and then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez locked in a heated argument on the night he is now accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, DailyMail.com can reveal.
The music mogul and the singer, who famously dated from 1999 to 2001, were snapped attending a star-studded afterparty for the 2000 MTV VMAs in New York City where they were later seen having a dramatic confrontation.
The photos were taken at the now-defunct Lotus nightclub on September 7, 2000 – the same evening a new lawsuit alleges Diddy sexually assaulted a young girl in front of two unidentified celebrities.
A guest who attended the exclusive bash recalled witnessing the spat, which ended with the rapper making an early exit with his entourage and a group of girls.
‘Diddy held a Cristal champagne bottle the entire time serving his guests,’ according to the source. ‘Everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves but as the night progressed, tensions rose between him and JLo.’
Images obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com captured the moment an irate J.Lo shouts at the Bad Boy founder in the middle of the party before walking away.
The incident occurred hours after the couple had attended the award show earlier that night at Radio City Music Hall, where Lopez was photographed wearing her iconic all-white outfit consisting of a cropped rhinestone tank top, matching low-rise pants, and a bedazzled bandana.
She later changed into a multicolor geometric patterned mini tube dress for the celebrity afterparty – co-hosted by rappers Eminem and Dr. Dre – which attracted high-profile names including Jay Z, Ben Stiller, Fred Durst, and Ice T.
Additional photos show magician David Blaine entertaining guests such as Steven Dorff, Josie Maran, and model Carmen Cass with card tricks in the crowd.
J.Lo and Diddy arrived at the venue with her sister Lynda, manager Benny Medina, record executive Damon Dash, as well as several girls and various members of their entourage who made their way to the club’s VIP area.
Inside, Diddy pouring glasses of pricey champagne and dancing with guests.
The artists appeared eager to celebrate after J.Lo, who was 31 at the time, had secured the award for Best Dance Video for her hit song Waiting for Tonight, according to the eyewitness.
But for reasons that are unclear, tensions escalated, leading to a dramatic confrontation in the middle of the festivities.
Lopez, who is standing on an elevated platform above the rest of the crowd, can be seen scowling at her then-boyfriend who is below her pouring champagne for other party guests.
The two eventually get into an angry exchange, with J.Lo’s sister seen standing nearby and attempting to lighten the mood by dancing.
Meanwhile, observers, including Medina and other guests, had watched in disbelief as the couple’s argument unfolded, the source recalled.
After a couple of hours filled with arguments, Diddy decided it was time to leave the party. He took Lopez and their entourage, including the girls, and exited together, the source said. It is unknown what the argument was about.
The resurfacing of these images comes as Diddy faces a new lawsuit alleging sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl on the same night. Lopez is not named in the lawsuit.
The alleged incident is said to have occurred at a house away from the nightclub, but the timing adds a troubling layer to the evening’s events and raises questions about the dynamics of Diddy and Lopez’s relationship during a time now overshadowed by serious allegations. The couple stayed together for another five months, eventually splitting in February 2001.
The new legal filing seen by DailyMail.com claims Combs had allegedly ‘aggressively approached’ the young girl with a ‘crazed look in his eyes’ before sexually assaulting her.
She claims an unidentified male celebrity also raped her while Combs and an unnamed female celebrity watched.
Combs has denied the allegations. His attorneys told DailyMail.com he ‘never sexually assaulted anyone’ and said the most recent ‘barrage of filings’ were nothing but ‘clear attempts to garner publicity’.
The lawsuit filed last week in New York federal court by the plaintiff’s attorney Tony Buzbee details the incident.
The plaintiff was 13 at the time and had gone to Radio City Music Hall without a ticket, hoping to sneak into the event, according to the filing.
The girl was unsuccessful, but met Diddy’s driver who she claims told her to come back after the show.
She claimed the driver took her ’20 minutes away’ to a ‘large white house with a gated U-shape driveway’.
Once inside, the woman claims she was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
She says she saw ‘many’ celebrities at the house, and that there was ‘widespread’ cocaine and marijuana use.
‘[She] accepted a drink, a reddish-yellow mixture that tasted like orange juice’, then felt ‘woozy’.
‘Looking for a place to rest, plaintiff entered what she believed to be an empty bedroom so she could lie down for a moment,’ the 19-page legal document reads.
‘Soon after, Combs, along with a male and female celebrity, entered the room.
‘Combs aggressively approached plaintiff with a crazed look in his eyes, grabbed her, and said, ‘You are ready to party!”
‘Combs then threw plaintiff toward another male celebrity, Celebrity A, who removed Plaintiff’s clothes as she grew more and more disoriented.
‘Plaintiff was held down by Celebrity A who vaginally raped her while Combs and Celebrity B, a female, watched.
‘After the male celebrity finished, Combs then vaginally raped plaintiff while Celebrity A and Celebrity B watched.
‘Combs attempted to force plaintiff to perform oral sex on him, but she resisted by hitting Combs in the neck; he stopped.’
No further information is given about the unnamed celebrities, but Combs is notorious for his White Parties and other events which attracted large A-list crowds.
The lawsuit says the victim eventually escaped the after party venue before calling her father who picked her up to take her home.
‘After the assault, plaintiff fell into a deep depression which continues to affect every facet of her life,’ the lawsuit reads.
Buzbee has filed 12 lawsuits in the past week alone on behalf of alleged Diddy victims, both male and female, who are seeking damages.
‘The press conference and 1-800 number that preceded today’s barrage of filings were clear attempts to garner publicity,’ Combs’s attorneys said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
‘Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process.
‘In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone – adult or minor, man or woman.’
