A report was filed with the Los Angeles Police Department alleging that Diplo distributed nude photos of a California woman without her consent.
Shelly Auguste, the woman who has been involved in ongoing legal battles with Diplo since 2020, filed a new report with the Los Angeles Police Department this past August with allegations that her nude photos were distributed without her consent. First reported by Pitchfork, this new report, which is currently under review, marks the second time that Auguste has accused Diplo of the act, as he was not criminally charged over the initial allegation in 2021.
Auguste filed the report with the LAPD on August 18, in which she told a police officer that she had sent nude videos and photos to Diplo and that said items were for him only and not to be distributed. In her statement, she alleges that Diplo then proceeded to distribute the videos and photos of her online. Auguste also claims in the report that a woman contacted her via Instagram the same day she filed to inform her that she had six nude photos of her, which, to Auguste, “were the photographs that either Diplo took or that she had given to him.”
“For more than three years, Shelly Auguste has been orchestrating an ongoing smear campaign against Wes—and this is just more of the same,” Diplo’s attorney, Bryan J. Freedman, told Pitchfork. “Now, Ms. Auguste is at it yet again. But Wes will defend himself, and, just as he has done every time Ms. Auguste has defamed, harassed and attacked him and his family, he will win.”
Since the report was filed, a new temporary restraining order was granted against Diplo on September 18, which was later extended to December 2023 by a judge in October. In late August, Diplo filed for a temporary restraining order of his own against Auguste, which the Superior Court of California denied.
“I think it’s time the music industry stops enabling the perpetual abuse that occurs,” Shelly Auguste said to Rolling Stone. “I have been silenced for far too long. I hope that with this restraining order, I can finally gain peace and protection. I hope that with the criminal investigation, the justice system gets it right this time.”
Auguste filed her first police report that accused Diplo of recording and distributing sexual content without her permission in July 2021. Due to California’s statute of limitations at the time, victims were only given one year after the content was posted to pursue legal action, and because of this, the case expired. A dual restraining order had been filed previously that year, with both parties agreeing not to disparage each other. According to an arbitration decision in September 2022, Auguste breached this agreement by posting tweets and Instagram stories, leading to a $1.2 million monetary award to Diplo.
Beyond this new report, both parties are currently involved in competing lawsuits with each other, which were filed between their initial dual restraining order agreement in January 2021 and the arbitration ruling in September 2022. Shelly Auguste’s civil trial is currently scheduled for April 2024. She’s suing for a number of causes, including sexual battery, gender violence, intentional intrusion into private affairs, battery, assault, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud, and violations of the Ralph Civil Rights Act and the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act.
Another woman filed a lawsuit against Diplo in July 2021, which has since been withdrawn, claiming that he had invited her to his room and that she was unable to leave without performing sexual acts on him.
These allegations were publicly denied by Diplo, who has since filed his own lawsuit against Auguste for stalking, trespassing, and distributing private materials.
Stay tuned, as this is a developing story.
You are not alone. There are always resources and help available to you if you have experienced sexual assault at a festival, event, nightclub, or anywhere in life.
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) runs the National Sexual Assault Hotline to offer support to victims and their families. Their services are free and confidential: 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673) (Available 24 hours a day by phone and by online chat.)
Relief After Violent Encounter (RAVE) — this organization can help you find counseling and therapy after a violent encounter.
RAVE also has a domestic and sexual violence Emergency Response Team that is deployed through law enforcement to provide emergency crisis intervention to victims immediately after an assault. Reach out to their Emergency Response Program Coordinator, Lisa Cloman, at 616-527-3351 ext. 231 or [email protected].
DJ Mag and the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) created a support hotline specifically for people to report sexual harassment in the dance music industry. This helpline is staffed by trained experts who will listen and support anyone who calls: (800) 030-5182.
