Songwriter Behind Pop Hits Accused Of Sex Trafficking Aspiring Singer

A Grammy award-winning songwriter behind hits for artists such as Beyoncé and Rihanna was accused on Tuesday of abuse and sex trafficking by a woman who said she believed he’d help launch her music career.

Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, 46, known professionally as The-Dream, was sued by singer Chanaaz Mangroe, 33, who claimed she was lured into a “manipulative relationship” filled with “violent sexual encounters” under the guise of a legitimate contract, according to a lawsuit obtained by HuffPost.

The suit, filed on Tuesday, said that The-Dream’s alleged abuse was made possible with “corporate funding” by Contra Paris LLC, a record label he launched with Jay Z, and Epic Records, a Sony Music owned record label, both of which are also named in the civil action.

Sony Music, did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for a comment.

Gesteelde-Diamant denied the abuse allegations claims in a statement to the New York Times on Tuesday.

“These claims are untrue and defamatory,” he said in the statement. “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.”

Mangroe met The-Dream in 2015, when she was 23. Originally from the Netherlands, she was working in the U.S. on a visa. As the visa was close to expiring, she’d been trying to focus on her music career, the lawsuit said. She was thrilled when a member of The-Dream’s security detail reached out to her through social media, the suit said, and the producer ultimately offered to work with her in Atlanta, where she hoped to “land her big break.”

The-Dream manipulated Mangroe into