The-Dream, hitmaker for Beyoncé, accused of rape in bombshell lawsuit: 'A prolonged nightmare'

The-Dream, the singer and songwriter who has worked with artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna and more, has been hit with a bombshell lawsuit accusing him of rape, trafficking and more.

Chanaaz Mangroe alleges the Grammy winner, whose real name is Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, "lured" her into an "abusive, violent, and manipulative relationship" in what "was nothing short of a prolonged nightmare," according to a complaint filed in California and provided to USA TODAY on Tuesday.

Mangroe claims her working relationship with The-Dream was "filled with physical assaults, violent sexual encounters, and horrific psychological manipulation" under the guise of helping her pursue a recording and publishing contract with his record label, Contra Paris LLC, and Epic Records, which are accused of facilitating his "depraved behavior."

Gesteelde-Diamant denied the allegations in a statement issued to The New York Times.

"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."

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USA TODAY has reached out to reps for The-Dream, Contra Paris and Epic Records for comment.

Mangroe accuses Gesteelde-Diamant of locking her in a dark room and "violently having sex with her" before leaving her "alone, naked in the dark, for hours on end"; forcing her to drink excessive amounts of alcohol by "roughly" pulling her head back by her hair and pouring it down her throat; choking her until she almost lost consciousness; refusing to wear a condom during sex and ejaculating inside of her against her wishes; raping her in the back of a van; and forcing her to engage in sex acts in a public movie theater.

She also alleges he recorded her during sex and used this recording to threaten her into silence.

Terius Gesteelde-Diamant accused of 'vicious psychological torture,' rape

The suit states that Mangroe was contacted by associates of Gesteelde-Diamant in 2014, when she was 23 years old and looking for her big break as a singer while working in the United States on an international visa from the Netherlands. After sending over samples of her work, Mangroe, also known as Channii Monroe, was invited to join Gesteelde-Diamant in Atlanta, according to the complaint.

From there, the suit alleges that Gesteelde-Diamant made false promises to gain her trust, such as telling her he would sponsor her visa extension and write "blockbuster" songs for her, as well as claiming she would open for Beyoncé on tour. "In reality, Dream used Ms. Mangroe for his base desires, which manifested in violent sexual acts and vicious psychological torture," the suit alleges.

Additionally, the complaint states that Gesteelde-Diamant "controlled all aspects" of Mangroe's stay in the U.S. and tracked her at all times, demanding she provide constant updates on her location.

Gesteelde-Diamant is accused of manipulating Mangroe into believing she needed to let him "completely control every aspect of her life" if she wanted to be as successful as Beyoncé, using her admiration of the "Texas Hold 'Em" singer against her and claiming that they would be "the next 'Bey and Jay.'" The producer "intertwined business promises with violent sex," the suit states, and over time, Mangroe says she became increasingly isolated from her family.

Gesteelde-Diamant also allegedly regularly kept a gun on him and would place the weapon next to Mangroe "as a warning" when forcing her to have sex. In one incident, he "purposely banged her face against the sink" in a bathroom after coercing her into sex, per the suit, and he allegedly raped her in the staircase of a studio. During this alleged rape, Mangroe says Gesteelde-Diamant pulled her dress collar so tightly around her neck that she was "gasping for breath" and "thought she would not survive."

But Mangroe eventually realized that Gesteelde-Diamant "never truly wanted to produce her record" and the "dizzying whirlwind" he had "led her through was a mirage" after she discovered that Beyoncé was not even preparing for a tour, despite his promises that she would open for her, according to the complaint.

Mangroe's "career was upended" as a result of Gesteelde-Diamant's "heinous acts," the lawsuit says, with her music allegedly being taken from her "without any explanation." She says she has not recovered from the trauma and is still putting the pieces of her life back together almost 10 years later.

"Choosing to speak out about the trauma I survived has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life, but ultimately, 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," Mangroe said in a statement provided to USA TODAY. "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."

Attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Firetog are representing Mangroe after working with Cassie Ventura, who sued Diddy for rape and sex trafficking last year in a lawsuit that has since been settled. In a statement, the attorneys compared Gesteelde-Diamant to Diddy.

"This is yet another horrific example of how men in the music industry use their power and influence to manipulate and harm others," Wigdor and Firetog said. "Dream, like Sean Combs did with Ms. Ventura and others, used his standing as a prominent recording artist and producer to subject Ms. Mangroe to vicious physical, psychological, and sexual abuse."

They added, "While she will never fully recover from what he and those who supported him did to her, her willingness to speak out now is evidence of her extraordinary strength. We are honored to represent her."

Who is The-Dream?

Gesteelde-Diamant has songwriting credits on hit tracks like Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and Rihanna's "Umbrella." He hasreceived eight Grammy awards and 21 nominations.

Recording under The-Dream, his 2007 album "Love/Hate" spawned multiple singles, including "Falsetto," "Shawty Is A 10" and "I Luv Your Girl." He most recently produced songs on Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" and Usher's "Coming Home," with a feature on the track "Cold Blooded."

Gesteelde-Diamant has been married three times, including to singer Christina Milian, and has nine children. He was arrested on assault charges in 2014 after being accused of strangling his pregnant girlfriend, according to People magazine. The charges were later dismissed.