Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, a songwriter and producer under the name The-Dream, has been accused of rape and sexual battery by a former protégée. The-Dream has been a producer behind hitmakers like Beyoncé and Rihanna. Chanaaz Mangroe, who performed under the name Channii Monroe, filed the lawsuit today, June 4.
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In her lawsuit, Mangroe alleged that Gesteelde-Diamant coerced her into an abusive relationship with promises to promote her career in 2015. While tied to Gesteelde-Diamant, she explained that he would force her to have sex, strangle her, and at one time recorded an intimate encounter and used it as blackmail, threatening to share it with others, according to a report from the New York Times. Mangroe’s suit also includes claims of sex trafficking.
Gesteelde-Diamant is an eight-time GRAMMY winner and one of the most powerful producers in the music industry. He has produced Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” Justin Beiber’s “Baby,” and Mariah Carey’s “Touch My Body.” He also has a close working relationship with Beyoncé, having a part writing or producing each of her studio albums since 2008.
Powerful Producer The-Dream Sued by Former Protégée
Chanaaz Mangroe cited the Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act of California in her lawsuit, which allows victims to bring forward suits against rape and sexual abuse even if the statute of limitations has expired.
Mangroe also put out a statement regarding her choice to file the lawsuit against The-Dream. “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. “Ultimately, my silence has become too painful, and I realized that I need to tell my story to heal. I hope that doing so will also help others and prevent future horrific abuse.”
Gesteelde-Diamant also put out a statement, claiming the accusations were false. “These claims are untrue and defamatory,” he said. “I oppose all forms of harassment and have always strived to help people realize their career goals. 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.”
Lawsuit Against Producer Describes Alleged Acts in Detail
The lawsuit describes in detail many instances of rape and abuse by Gesteelde-Diamant against Mangroe. Epic Records is also named as a defendant in the case, as Mangroe was signed to them in 2015 during her relationship with Gesteelde-Diamant. The suit explains that when Mangroe took her concerns to an Epic executive, she was told she “needed to figure out a way to work with Dream again.” When Gesteelde-Diamant never gave Epic any music by Mangroe, she was dropped from the label.
Gesteelde-Diamant has been accused of sexual battery in the past, when he went by the name Terius Nash. In 2014, there was a lawsuit claiming he assaulted a former girlfriend who was eight months pregnant at the time. The charges were subsequently dropped by prosecutors in 2015.
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