Former escort Clayton Howard has renewed his sex-trafficking lawsuit involving singer Cassie Ventura and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging that federal prosecutors exploited his allegations while denying him victim protections.

Howard’s claims, which he has said focus more heavily on Ventura than Combs, argue that she was not only a victim but also an active participant in the alleged crimes. According to a report by AllHipHop, Howard’s latest filing in Manhattan federal court accuses prosecutors of using his account to build their case against Combs while sidelining his own rights and shielding Ventura from scrutiny.

In the filing, Howard specifically criticises former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, alleging that she dismissed his attempts to testify fully about both Combs and Ventura. He claims prosecutors relied on his cooperation when it suited their case but later excluded him from the process and denied him protections under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.

Howard alleged that when he insisted on sharing the full scope of his experience, he was told he was “too traumatised” to testify — a claim he disputes. He further stated that repeated letters to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and attempts to engage a victim-witness advocate went unanswered.

While Howard says Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson eventually responded, he claims she denied his status as a victim. He later discovered that the government’s sentencing memo had, in fact, listed him as a victim, prompting him to seek eligibility for compensation through the Backpage Remission Program, which provides funds to trafficking victims.

Meanwhile, Howard’s civil case against Cassie Ventura is progressing after a judge approved alternative service and she secured legal representation. Howard maintains that his goal is not publicity, but fairness and recognition equal to that afforded to other victims involved in the case.