The-Dream, songwriter for Beyonce, accused of rape, sex trafficking in lawsuit

04 June 2024 , 22:15
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The musician
The musician's former mentee Chanaaz Mangroe has filed a lawsuit in California federal court on Tuesday (Image: Getty Images)

Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, a songwriter for musician's including Beyonce and Rihanna, has been accused of rape, sexual battery and sex trafficking.

The plaintiff, who The Mirror has chosen not to name, filed a lawsuit in California federal court on Tuesday. In the documents, obtained by The Mirror US, Terius is accused of trapping the plaintiff in an "abusive, violent and manipulative relationship filled with physical assaults, violent sexual encounters, and horrific psychological manipulation".

Known as "The-Dream", Terius allegedly falsely promised to promote the victim's career. He's a big name in the music industry and is behind some of the world's hugest hits, including Beyonce's Single Ladies, Rihanna's Umbrella and even Justin Bieber's hit single Baby. He's won eight Grammy Awards and was even shortlisted for an Academy Award for penning an original track for the remake of The Color Purple.

The-Dream, songwriter for Beyonce, accused of rape, sex trafficking in lawsuit eiqetiqhtidzkprwKnown as "The-Dream", Terius allegedly falsely promised to promote the victim's career (No credit)

Terius, who has collaborated with Beyonce on every one of her albums since 2008, has denied accusations in a statement to the New York Times, saying: "These claims are untrue and defamatory. I oppose all forms of harassment and have always strived to help people realize their career goals." The music producer continued: "As someone committed to making a positive impact on my fellow artists and the world at large, I am deeply offended and saddened by these accusations."

The plaintiff alleges in her complaint that, on one occasion, Terius demanded oral sex in front of patrons, but when she refused, he forced her into "physically painful" sex before assaulting her in his van. He allegedly pinned her down, making it hard for her to breathe, per the documents. "What Dream did to me made it impossible to live the life I envisioned for myself and pursue my goals as a singer and songwriter," she said in a statement in the lawsuit.

Selena Gomez jokes she's in 'throuple' with Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola PeltzSelena Gomez jokes she's in 'throuple' with Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz

"Ultimately, my silence has become too painful, and I realised that I need to tell my story to heal. I hope that doing so will also help others and prevent future horrific abuse." The lawsuit also alleges sex trafficking, claiming the victim was forced to engage in sexual acts with different men across multiple states.

The plaintiff claims in the lawsuit that Gesteelde-Diamant promised her a big career break, saying he could make her an opening act for Beyonce. She alleges he signed her up to his label Contra Paris, with a distribution deal set up with Sony-owned Epic Records. In the complaint, she alleges she reported The-Dream's alleged abuse to an executive at Epic back in 2015, but she claims she was told "she needed to figure out a way to work with Dream again". The Mirror US has contacted Epic representatives for a comment.

"She was left in the dark throughout the entire process despite both Contra and Epic Records having a signed contract and owing corporate responsibilities to her, and despite agents of both entities knowing that Ms. Mangroe had been the subject of Dream's violent and coercive manipulation, which they knew or should have known were predicated of fraudulent promises of record contracts, Grammys, and opening for Beyonce," the complaint states.

The Mirror has contacted Gesteelde-Diamant representatives for a comment.

Harry Rutter

Justin Bieber, The-Dream, Rihanna, Beyonce

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