According to NBC Los Angeles Diddy’s former personal chef, who says she was subjected to sexual harassment and forced to work long hours without being fully compensated for overtime, settled the lawsuit she filed against the entertainer, the attorneys in the case told a judge Tuesday.
In her suit filed in May 2017 against Diddy, plaintiff Cindy Rueda alleged she often worked long hours and traveled with him, sometimes for up to two weeks, without receiving any additional pay. She said she was hired in April 2015 and fired in May 2016.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Allen White had sent Rueda’s case to arbitration in August 2017, finding that she signed an employment agreement that, among other things, called for her to arbitrate any work-related disputes.
White previously rejected Rueda attorney Cristal Cabrera’s argument that the language of the document was skewed unfairly in favor of Diddy as the employer.
Tuesday, however, the lawyers told the judge that the case was resolved.
No terms were divulged.
Rueda stated in a sworn declaration filed in connection with her lawsuit against Diddy that she often worked from 9 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. after signing an agreement to become his personal chef in 2015. She claimed she was not given additional income on days she was required to work late or travel with Diddy.
Rueda, who said her duties included shopping for groceries, stocking the house and kitchen with food, clearing and organizing the pantry and preparing meals for Diddy and his guests, also alleged she was exposed to a harassing and hostile work environment. As an example, Rueda stated that in August 2015, she arrived late because of traffic and that Diddy, present with house guest Gina Huynh, yelled an obscenity at her, then asked, “Can’t you see I have company?”
Rueda said she apologized to Diddy and Huynh and that Puff told her to immediately prepare breakfast and serve it in his bedroom.
Rueda said that when she finished making breakfast, she brought the food to Diddy’s bedroom and knocked first, then entered to set up the meal.
“Upon entering, I noticed Mr. Combs and his guest indisposed and engaged in sexual activity,” Rueda said.
Rueda also alleged that in June 2015, Diddy’s manager commented on the size of her lips and that he and one of her bosses asked a number of sexually oriented questions.
She said one of her bosses told her to sign a confidentiality agreement as well as a promise to arbitrate any labor disputes. She says she asked if someone could review the agreement because she did not understand it, but the supervisor told her not to share the paperwork with anyone or the offer would be rescinded and she would be fired.
She said she eventually signed the agreements and that her annual salary was $91,000.
Rueda claimed that over her objections, she was required to travel with Diddy on two trips to Miami and another to Joshua Tree National Park to prepare meals for him and his guests. She said she insisted when she signed the offer that she not have to travel because she had children to care for and could not be away from them for long.
