"I was able to escape this guy and his goons"— Dewitt Gilmore claims he was chased by Diddy in 1996 in new $5 million lawsuit filing

Amid his time in prison, rapper Diddy has been hit with a new lawsuit. According to AllHipHop, the rapper is being sued for $5 million by Dewitt Gilmore, an Atlanta-based "author, entrepreneur, and public figure." Gilmore alleged that the rapper violently abused him in 1996 outside a New York club and then chased him down the street.

On Sunday, November 3, Gilmore filed the lawsuit in a federal court in New York, seeking reparations for "emotional distress, physical harm, lost opportunities, and reputational damage." During a video interview with News Nation on November 12, Gilmore recounted the encounter, stating:

“I was able to escape this guy and his goons.”

He went on to describe the situation:

“I wasn't thinking of it as a threat. Next thing you know, we're in front of Herald Square. It's about 1 in the morning. And he, his bodyguard pulls his sports car and runs me off the road…”

He continued:

“But that's the moment we realized he was not alone. It was not just Puffy and bodyguard. There were four other cars. They were loaded with guys... And it's all going down at the same time. And for the life of me, how I got teleported out of that situation, I don't know…”

These allegations come at a time when Diddy is already dealing with significant legal troubles, including multiple accusations of s*xual assault, harassment, and s*x trafficking.

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Diddy faces another lawsuit

Diddy is now in prison (Image via Julia Beverly/Getty Images)

The lawsuit, filed by DeWitt Gilmore, allegedly accused Diddy of planning a risky car chase to confront a man and his friends. According to court documents obtained by AllHipHop, the lawsuit alleged:

"On a night in the summer of 1996, Plaintiff DeWitt Gilmore was assaulted by Defendant Sean Combs and a group of his associates, including his bodyguard, on a street in New York City after exiting a club. Plaintiff, in the company of his friends Lance Calfe and Rico, approached his vehicle, an Isuzu Trooper, parked near the club."

It continued:

"As Plaintiff and his friends prepared to leave, Defendant Combs and his associates pulled up in a gold convertible with Defendant Combs positioned in the passenger seat and his bodyguard driving."

The lawsuit further alleged:

"Defendant Combs initiated a verbal confrontation with Plaintiff, taunting him with derogatory language and escalating the situation with threats of violence. His words, including ‘What’s up, b*tch?’ were intended to provoke and intimidate Plaintiff.”

The confrontation reportedly intensified after Combs' and his associates stopped their car. According to the lawsuit, Combs' bodyguard, along with armed men in several cars, allegedly surrounded Gilmore's car, and shots were fired.

With Gilmore's friends, Lance Calfe and Rico, as witnesses, Gilmore allegedly fled the scene.

It remains unclear whether Gilmore or his friends were hurt that evening. However, Gilmore stated that he never filed a complaint due to fear of harassment and retaliation. He later changed his mind after he got in touch with Lance Calfe. As reported by AllHipHop, their meeting "brought forth new insight and testimonial evidence surrounding the events of that night."

Gilmore argued that Calfe's testimony was "significant enough to reopen the case beyond the usual statute of limitations," due to the special circumstances of intimidation and safety concerns.

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Meanwhile, Diddy is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center as he awaits his court appearance.