A woman who claimed she flew on a private plane to meet Sean “Diddy” Combs as a 17-year-old and was gang raped in his recording studio in 2003 must use her real name in her lawsuit against the mogul, a judge has ruled.

Anna Kane spoke out publicly, saying she would not be deterred by the judge’s decision or Combs’ team’s attempt to “intimidate” her. “I had hoped to use a pseudonym to seek justice for what happened to me as a teenager,” Kane said in a statement Rolling Stone on Friday. “The defendant’s demand that I give my name was an attempt to intimidate me, but I will not be intimidated. I am ready to move forward and hold those who harmed me accountable.”

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Kane sued Combs, former Bad Boy CEO Harve Pierre, and a third unidentified employee for sexual assault in December 2023 – a month after Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed her own bombshell sexual abuse and sex trafficking lawsuit against Combs. (Combs denied Ventura’s claims and a settlement was reached the next day.)

But other than the first file – which included photos of the Detroit-area high school student sitting on Combs’ lap – the case was largely on hold while Kane waited to see if her case could proceed after Combs’ Team that had challenged New York City -specific statue that she filed under.

Combs’ attorneys argued that Kane’s case should be dismissed because the Gender-Based Violence Victims Protection Act (VGMVPL) was “preempted” by the expiration of other statewide lookback laws, particularly the Child Victims Act, which expired in August 2021 .

In her opinion released Thursday, U.S. District Judge Jessica GL Clarke ruled that the case could proceed under the VGMVPL statute and ordered Doe to comply with an earlier order to disclose her name. And in a second easy victory for Combs’ team, Judge Clarke also ruled that corporate defendants Daddy’s House, the name of Combs’ Manhattan recording studio, and Bad Boy could be dismissed from the case.

Although Kane will have to speak out publicly if she wants to move forward with the lawsuit, the outcome is still largely positive. It also bodes well for other survivors whose alleged assaults occurred after 2000 and who have sued under the same provision.

Still, the decision could have implications for the way other judges handle the 20 other anonymous cases against Combs. Last month, Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil ordered prosecutor Candice McCrary to use her name after McCrary sued Combs for allegedly forcing himself on her after meeting him at a photo shoot in 2004. Other cases are still in limbo as different judges weigh their own decisions. The prosecutor can proceed anonymously.

It’s about predicting what path the different judges presiding over these cases will take, explains Eugene Volokh, a law professor at UCLA Rolling Stone. “There is no real binding precedent for a situation like this,” he explains. “Different judges will simply always reach different conclusions, as appears to be the case in this particular case of litigation.”

It may not help that some accusers, such as Ventura, Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard and several others, have already filed similar lawsuits under their names, setting a precedent that could result in anonymous plaintiffs having to prove why they represent an exception. On the other hand, a judge might consider the sensitivity of the allegations and the fact that some accusers were minors at the time of the alleged assaults.

Although Justice Clarke and Justice Vyskocil ruled in one direction, “several other justices appear to agree with the claim of pseudonymity,” Volokh points out. “I would suspect there will probably be a split at the end.”

Representatives for Combs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kane filed her lawsuit in December 2023, claiming she was a senior when Pierre approached her in a Detroit-area lounge, boasted of his friendship with Combs and claimed the music manager would “love” to meet her. Kane claims she flew to Teterboro, New Jersey on a private jet with Pierre and an unidentified man that same night before arriving at the Daddy’s House recording studio in Manhattan.

When Kane arrived at the studio, Kane claimed the men began giving her “large amounts of drugs and alcohol.” Apparently things took a turn when she started losing consciousness repeatedly. Kane claims the three men took turns raping her in the bathroom while she begged them to stop. Eventually, she claims that she fainted, later woke up on the floor in the fetal position, and had vaginal pain. After “getting her bearings,” she was taken back to an airport and flown to Detroit.

Combs vehemently denied Kane’s allegations in a statement shortly after her lawsuit was filed. “Enough is enough,” he said in a statement. “For the last few weeks I have sat in silence and watched as people tried to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. I have had disgusting allegations made against me by people looking for a quick payday. Let me be clear: I have done none of the terrible things I am accused of. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”

The 55-year-old is currently being held without bail after being arrested in September on federal criminal charges including sex trafficking, racketeering and solicitation for prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and faces life in prison if convicted.

This story was updated on December 6 at 4:45 p.m. to include Anna Kane’s statement.

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