Liza Gardner has expanded her lawsuit. She alleges gang rape by Sean “Diddy” Combs and Aaron Hall. The suit now includes more charges. It also names DeVanté Swing as a co-defendant.
Lawsuit Details and Allegations
Gardner filed the original lawsuit in November 2023. She was 16 years old at the time. She accused Combs and Hall of raping her. She claims that she was intoxicated and incapacitated during the incident. This allegedly happened at Hall’s New Jersey residence in 1990.
According to Rolling Stone, Gardner has amended the lawsuit. She now includes Swing, a member of the R&B group Jodeci. Gardner alleges Swing was present during the assaults. She claims he aided and abetted Combs and Hall.
DeVanté Swing’s Alleged Involvement
This is not the first time Swing has been accused. He allegedly aided Combs in a sexual assault. In Joi Dickerson-Neal’s lawsuit, she alleged Swing informed her of revenge porn. Combs had circulated a tape of the alleged rape. Swing allegedly told her that “everybody” had seen the tape.
According to Dickerson-Neal, Swing refused to be a witness. He would not come forward when she filed a police report. This led to the dismissal of her claims. It allegedly allowed Diddy to continue a 30-year crime spree.
UPDATE: Per Vibe, as of January 1, 2025, Gardner’ dismissed her claims against Swing without prejudice. Thus, she may pursue her claims against him at a future date despite.
New Allegations and Witness Testimony
The amended complaint claims Swing was Gardner’s “co-guardian.” He invited her on a trip to New York. The lawsuit says he coerced her to travel across state lines. He provided her with drugs. Then, he allegedly forced her to have sex with Combs.
Gardner also alleges Combs came to her home. He choked her until she passed out. Intriguingly, Combs’ former bodyguard, Gene Deal, recently suggested that if Combs killed Kim Porter, he would have smothered her.
Another minor, Mona Case, was with Gardner that night. She corroborated Gardner’s allegations. Case stated in a sworn statement she witnessed Swing “watching whatever Puffy was doing to Liza.” She claimed she began to protest. When she saw Swing and Combs with Gardner, she threatened to call the police. She claims Swing grabbed her and took her upstairs.
Other Lawsuits Against Combs
Gardner’s lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, has filed a separate lawsuit. He represents music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones. Jones alleges Combs sexually assaulted and harassed him. Another client, April Lampros, was a former Arista Records intern. She alleges Combs sexually assaulted her multiple times.
In September 2024, the federal government charged Combs. The charges are for racketeering and sex trafficking. He has pleaded not guilty. He is currently in jail. His federal trial date is May 5, 2025. Hall has not appeared in the lawsuit. Swing has not yet responded to the allegations. The ever-increasing lawsuits continue to raise questions. They are about the pervasive rape culture in the entertainment industry.
This text was last updated on September 11, 2025, to reflect new information about DeVanté Swing’s removal from the case.
Photos via Youtube and Deposit Photos.
