Diddy and Diageo Settle Legal Dispute, Officially Part Ways
Written by djfrosty on January 18, 2024
Source: STAN HONDA / Getty
The dispute between Diddy and Diageo is now over as the two parties have reached a settlement, and are no longer partners.
According to reports, Diddy and global liquor giant Diageo ended a highly combative legal battle in which Diddy accused Diageo of not honoring its commitment to his liquor brand, claiming it was due to racism. The two parties confirmed the settlement in a joint statement issued on Tuesday (January 16). The liquor brands at the heart of the settlement were Ciroc vodka and DeLeon tequila.
“Sean Combs and Diageo have now agreed to resolve all disputes between them. Mr. Combs has withdrawn all of his allegations about Diageo and will voluntarily dismiss his lawsuits against Diageo with prejudice,” the statement from both parties reads. “Diageo and Mr. Combs have no ongoing business relationship, either with respect to Cîroc vodka or DeLeón tequila, which Diageo now solely owns.” Diageo, which also owns such renowned brands as Guinness, Tanqueray and Johnnie Walker, had first entered into a partnership with Diddy’s Combs Wines and Spirits in 2007 to handle marketing and distribution of Ciroc. In 2013, the two entities purchased DeLeón.
Things soured in May 2023 as Diddy sued Diageo in Manhattan Supreme Court in New York City, alleging that the brand purposely neglected his liquor brands compared to others under their umbrella. He also claimed that Diageo belittled the value of Ciroc and DeLeón by marketing them as “urban” brands and not for the general market. Diageo would file a countersuit in June, claiming that Diddy had failed to live up to obligations stipulated in their partnership agreement. “Mr. Combs’ bad-faith actions have clearly breached his contracts and left us no choice but to move to dismiss his baseless complaint and end our business relationship,” their filing read at the time.
The severing of ties with Diageo is another blow to the artist and mogul within the past few months. Diddy is currently facing several lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault which he denies inflicting. Last November, his former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed a lawsuit against him accusing him of sex trafficking and rape. The two settled the lawsuit the next day. Diddy has also stepped down from his position as chairman of REVOLT TV and has seen an upcoming reality series with Hulu scrapped in the wake of the lawsuits.