Producer and songwriter of Beyoncé and Rihanna accused of rape

The-Dream, the singer and songwriter who has worked with artists such as Beyoncé, Rihanna and others, is facing a high-profile lawsuit accusing him of rape, human trafficking and more.

Chanaaz Mangroe claims the Grammy winner, whose real name is Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, “lured” her into an “abusive, violent and manipulative relationship” that was “nothing short of a long-lasting nightmare,” according to a complaint filed in California and seen by USA TODAY on Tuesday.

Mangroe claims her working relationship with The-Dream was “filled with physical assault, violent sexual encounters and horrific psychological manipulation” under the guise of helping her get a recording and publishing deal with his record label Contra Paris LLC and Epic Records, who are accused of supporting his “depraved behavior.”

Gesteelde-Diamant denied the allegations in a statement to the New York Times.

“These allegations are untrue and defamatory,” he said. “I oppose any form of harassment and have always tried to help people achieve their career goals. As someone who is committed to making a positive impact on my fellow artists and the world at large, I am deeply offended and saddened by these allegations.”

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USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for The-Dream, Contra Paris and Epic Records for comment.

Mangroe accuses Gesteelde-Diamant of locking her in a dark room and “having violent sex with her” before leaving her “alone, naked in the dark for hours”; forcing her to drink excessive amounts of alcohol by “roughly” pulling her head back by her hair and pouring it down her throat; choking her until she almost lost consciousness; refusing to use a condom during sex and ejaculating inside her against her will; raping her in the back of a van; and forcing her to perform sexual acts in a public cinema.

She also claims that he filmed her having sex and used the recording to silence her with threats.

Terius Gesteelde-Diamant charged with “vicious psychological torture” and rape

The lawsuit says Mangroe was contacted by Gesteelde-Diamant employees in 2014, when she was 23 years old and waiting for her big break as a singer while working in the U.S. on an international visa from the Netherlands. After sending samples of her work, Mangroe, also known as Channii Monroe, was invited to join Gesteelde-Diamant in Atlanta, the lawsuit says.

From there, the lawsuit alleges that Gesteelde-Diamant made false promises to gain her trust. For example, he told her he would finance her visa extension and write “blockbuster” songs for her, and claimed she would open for Beyoncé on tour. “In reality, Dream used Ms. Mangroe for his baser desires, which manifested themselves in violent sexual acts and vicious psychological torture,” the lawsuit alleges.

In addition, the lawsuit alleges that Gesteelde-Diamant controlled “all aspects” of Mangroe’s stay in the United States and constantly stalked her, requiring her to provide her with constant updates on her whereabouts.

Gesteelde-Diamant is accused of manipulating Mangroe into believing that if she wanted to be as successful as Beyoncé, she had to give him “complete control over every aspect of her life.” Gesteelde-Diamant used her admiration for the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer against her, claiming they would become “the next ‘Bey and Jay.'” The producer “tied business promises to violent sex,” the lawsuit says, and over time, Mangroe says, she became increasingly isolated from her family.

Gesteelde-Diamond also allegedly regularly carried a gun and placed it next to Mangroe “as a warning” when he forced her to have sex. In one instance, he “intentionally slammed her face into a bathroom sink” after forcing her to have sex, the lawsuit says, and he allegedly raped her in the stairwell of a studio. During that alleged rape, Mangroe says, Gesteelde-Diamond pulled her dress collar so tightly around her neck that she “gasped for air” and “thought she wasn’t going to survive.”

But Mangroe eventually realized that Gesteelde-Diamant “never really wanted to produce her record” and that the “dizzying whirlwind” he had “led” her through was a mirage after she discovered that Beyoncé wasn’t even preparing for a tour despite his promises that she would open for her, according to the lawsuit.

Mangroe’s “career was turned upside down” as a result of Gesteelde-Diamant’s “heinous actions,” the lawsuit says, and her music was allegedly taken away from her “without any explanation.” She says she has not recovered from the trauma and is still trying to put her life back together nearly 10 years later.

“Choosing to speak out about the trauma I survived was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but ultimately, what Dream did to me made it impossible to live the life I envisioned and pursue my goals as a singer and songwriter,” Mangroe said in a statement to USA TODAY. “Ultimately, my silence became too painful and I realized that I needed to tell my story in order to heal. I hope this helps others as well and prevents future horrific abuse.”

Attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Firetog are representing Mangroe after working with Cassie Ventura, who sued Diddy last year for rape and sex trafficking. The suit has since been settled. In a statement, the attorneys compared Gesteelde-Diamant to Diddy.

“This is another horrific example of how men in the music industry use their power and influence to manipulate and harm others,” Wigdor and Firetog said. “Dream, like Sean Combs did with Ms. Ventura and others, used his position as a well-known recording artist and producer to subject Ms. Mangroe to brutal physical, psychological and sexual abuse.”

They added: “Although she will never fully recover from what he and his supporters did to her, her willingness to speak out now is a testament to her extraordinary strength. We are honored to represent her.”

Who is The-Dream?

Gesteelde-Diamant is the songwriter of hits such as “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” by Beyoncé and “Umbrella” by Rihanna. He has received eight Grammy awards and 21 nominations.

His 2007 album Love/Hate, recorded under the label The-Dream, spawned several singles, including “Falsetto,” “Shawty Is A 10,” and “I Luv Your Girl.” Most recently, he produced songs for Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” and Usher’s “Coming Home,” and was also featured on the track “Cold Blooded.”

Gesteelde-Diamant has been married three times, including to singer Christina Milian, and has nine children. According to People Magazine, he was arrested for assault in 2014 after being accused of strangling his pregnant girlfriend. The charges were later dropped.

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