Music producer The-Dream accused of rape in new lawsuit

The-Dream, a GRAMMY-winning producer behind hits like Beyonce‘s “Single Ladies”, Kanye West‘s “No Church in the Wilderness” and Rihannaof “Umbrella,” has been accused of rape and assault in a new lawsuit by a former aspiring singer.

According to court documents obtained by ET, Chanaaz Mangroe (known professionally as Channii Monroe) claims The-Dream (real name Terius Gesteelde-Diamant) promised her he would help her “become part of his so-called ‘sanctuary,’ like he did for Beyoncé and Rihanna,” but instead subjected her to a “prolonged nightmare” that included rape and “horrific psychological manipulation.”

In the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Monroe claims she began working in the U.S. in 2014 at age 23 on an international visa from the Netherlands, hoping to land her big break as a singer and songwriter. She claims associates of The-Dream soon contacted her via social media and she sent them samples of her work, which she says sparked an invitation from The-Dream to visit him in Atlanta.

ET has reached out to The-Dream for comment, but in a statement to The New York TimesA spokesperson for the singer vehemently denied the allegations, claiming the “claims are untrue and defamatory.”

In the lawsuit, Monroe claims that the “incredible breakthrough opportunity” was far from what she expected and that her experience with The-Dream was “nothing short of a prolonged nightmare.” She claims that the “I Luv Your Girl” singer “under the guise of entering into a legitimate record and publishing deal with her” actually “lured her into an abusive, violent and manipulative relationship that was filled with physical assault, violent sexual encounters and horrific psychological manipulation.”

Monroe claims that The-Dream promised her he would “fund the extension of her international visa” and “write blockbuster songs for her like he did for Beyonce and Rihanna.” In addition, Monroe says, The-Dream promised her “she would open for Beyonce’s upcoming tour and even went so far as to force her to diet and exercise excessively in preparation for the tour.”

Monroe claims that The-Dream once locked her in a dark room next to a recording studio, had brutal sex with her, then left her alone for hours – naked in the dark – and then came back to have more sex with her. In the lawsuit, she also claims that The-Dream once raped her in the back of a converted Sprinter van on the same night that he forced her to perform sexual acts in a public movie theater.

As for her assault allegations, Monroe claims that The-Dream violently attacked her during sex, “sometimes with his hands and once with the collar of her dress.” Monroe claims that The-Dream once choked her so violently that she almost lost consciousness.

There are also allegations that The-Dream administered excessive amounts of alcohol to her “by pulling her head back by her hair and pouring alcohol down her throat.” Monroe claims The-Dream “controlled all aspects of (her) stay in the United States, including the cost of lodging, transportation and meals.”

Monroe claims that The-Dream recorded the sexual acts and exploited the existence of the recordings to force her to remain silent. She claims her career was turned upside down soon after and she has still not recovered from the trauma she experienced.

“Nearly a decade later, Ms. (Monroe) is still trying to put her life back together, but she knows that if she does not speak out about what Dream did to her, she will never be able to overcome the damage Dream did to her,” court documents state.

In a statement to ET, Monroe said: “Deciding 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 had imagined and pursue my goals as a singer and songwriter. Ultimately, my silence became too painful and I realized that I needed to tell my story in order to heal. I hope that by doing so, I can also help others and prevent future horrific abuse.”

Monroe’s attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Firetog, partners of Wigdor LLP, told ET: “This is another horrific example of how men in the music industry abuse their power and influence to manipulate and harm others. Dream, like Sean Combs did with Ms. Ventura and others, used his position as a well-known musician and producer to subject Ms. Mangroe to brutal physical, psychological and sexual abuse.”

Wigdor and his company also represented R&B singer Cassie Ventura in her lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combswhich the parties “peaceful” was cleared up less than 24 hours later. The-Dream was also once married to Christina Milian, who is a close friend of Cassie’s.

The statement continued: “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.”

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