Hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit accusing him and two co-defendants of raping a 17-year-old girl in a New York recording studio back in 2003. Combs argues that the claims are "false and hideous" and were filed too late under the law.

The legal move comes as a response to multiple similar lawsuits and an ongoing criminal sex-trafficking investigation targeting the 54-year-old music artist. Combs and his legal team categorically deny the allegations, stating that they have caused significant damage to their reputations and business standing.

The lawsuit, initially filed in December and amended in March by a woman currently residing in Canada, alleges that she was flown to New York by Harve Pierre, the then-president of Combs' record label, Bad Boy Entertainment. According to the plaintiff, she was given drugs and alcohol until she was unable to consent, after which Pierre, Combs, and an unknown man took turns raping her.

In support of her claims, the woman included photographs of herself sitting on Combs' lap, purportedly taken on the night of the incident. However, Combs' defense filing questions the authenticity and significance of the photographs.

Combs' motion requests that the case be dismissed with prejudice, preventing the lawsuit from being refiled and further protecting his reputation. The filing argues that the plaintiff's claims were brought under New York City's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law, but that law is superseded by state law, which dictates that the lawsuit should have been filed by August 2021 to be considered timely.

Responding to the motion, one of the plaintiff's attorneys, Michael J. Willemin, dismissed Combs' efforts as a desperate attempt to avoid accountability. He emphasized that the focus should be on the allegations of gang rape and sexual assault, rather than the procedural arguments put forth by Combs' legal team.

It's important to note that this stage of the lawsuit is primarily procedural, with discussions centering on the timeliness of the filing rather than the facts of the case. Several other lawsuits have been filed against Combs, many involving decades-old allegations and falling under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which extends legal deadlines for sexual assault victims. However, this particular lawsuit relies on New York City's Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law.

The judge presiding over the case has ruled that the plaintiff will need to disclose her name if the lawsuit progresses. The Associated Press typically refrains from naming individuals who claim to have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly.

The wave of allegations against Combs began in November with a lawsuit from singer Cassie, his former protege and girlfriend, accusing him of beatings, rape, and other abuse spanning from 2005 to 2018. That case was settled shortly after it was filed, denying any wrongdoing. Since then, more lawsuits have been filed against Combs.

In March, Homeland Security Investigations conducted search warrants on Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami as part of an ongoing sex-trafficking investigation. Combs, who was vocal about what he deemed to be excessive force used in the operation, has not been charged in relation to the investigation, which is still ongoing.

Last month, Combs also filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Joi Dickerson, who alleged that Combs drugged and sexually assaulted her when she was a 19-year-old college student.

As the legal battles continue, the outcome remains uncertain, with both sides adamantly standing their ground.