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Source: John Lamparski / Getty / Aubrey O’Day
Diddy, aka The Diddler, made headlines when he returned the publishing rights to his former Bad Boy artists. Former Danity Kane member is now claiming his kind gesture was very empty.
TMZ exclusively reports that, according to O’Day, Diddy tried to buy her silence by giving back her publishing rights, which were also essentially worthless.
O’Day made these recent claims during an interview for the celebrity gossip’s upcoming Tubi documentary, The Downfall of Diddy. The documentary focuses on the media mogul’s life after the raids on his homes and the ensuing federal investigation.
Per TMZ:
AOD provided some fascinating insight — including the fact she knew what was up back in September … when Puff gave all his old artists the rights to their music. The seemingly generous move came with lots of strings attached, according to Aubrey.
You’ll recall … Diddy made a big announcement at the time, saying all the old Bad Boy artists were gonna get what was theirs … as it was the right and noble thing to do, etc.
However, behind the scenes … Aubrey claims Diddy wanted the artists to sign NDAs as part of the deal, which would’ve muzzled them from speaking on their experiences at Bad Boy.
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According to the celebrity gossip site, O’Day didn’t want any part of Diddy’s “generosity” because she valued her ability to speak, mainly because of everything Diddy is currently being accused of after Cassie opened floodgates with her allegations that they both ultimately settled.
TMZ reports that before the “Me & U” singer aired Diddy, O’Day was one of the first and only people to call out her former boss for years.
Diddy’s Team Is Calling C A P On O’Day’s Claims
Sources close to the embattled music mogul called C A P on O’Day’s claims, telling the website, “Aubrey O’Day got her big break because Diddy and Bad Boy cast her in their show with her group, Danity Kane. Last year, when he reassigned his portion of the publishing to Bad Boy artists, an unprecedented move within the industry and which he did not have to do, not all artists signed an NDA, contrary to what she claims.”
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Source: Shareif Ziyadat / Getty / Diddy
Surviving Diddy, the documentary? It looks like those docs are coming.
Spotted on TMZ, multiple docs detailing Diddy’s federal probe that has led to the once highly sought-after mogul losing multiple bags and two of his homes being raided by the Feds are reportedly in the works.
According to the celebrity gossip site, it will happen “several times with several companies.”
Per TMZ:
Multiple industry sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … producers at various production companies in Hollywood and the UK have been scrambling to put together long-form documentary films covering Diddy’s drama — everything from the civil lawsuits to the federal raids.
We’re told the outreach to ramp up production for most of the docs began immediately after the raids in L.A. and Miami — which isn’t surprising, as the feds’ execution of search warrants happened on live TV … making it more of a national spectacle, and prompting folks to pay close attention to all the fallout.
Sources speaking with TMZ claim at least five production companies have been reaching out to anyone close to Diddy who is willing to talk. Those include former dancers, Combs Bad Boy Records execs, and even producers on his iconic competition reality show, Making The Band.
TMZ reports that producers have contacted former Danity Kane member Aubrey O’Day, who has been very public about her dismay for her former mentor on her X account.
The website confirms ABC News Studios for Hulu is working on a documentary, while several UK-based studios are working on their documentaries.
Recent Developments
Things are still developing in the federal probe itself. Recently, footage from the raid has hit social media, and Misa Hylton, the mother of Justin Combs, took to Instagram to call out Homeland Security for using excessive force on her sons, Justin and Christain, during the raid.
Meanwhile, Diddy’s longtime nemesis, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, continues to antagonize Combs on social media, and most recently, his baby mama, Daphne Joy, whose name came up in a federal suit, alleging she is a “sex worker.”
Joy then accused the G-Unit general of rape and being an absent father after he claimed he was going to take her to court for full custody of their son.
The “Candy Shop” rapper has denied those allegations.
Will you be tuning in when the docs arrive? Who are we kidding? We know you will be watching.
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Source: Stephen Butler / Getty / Cuba Gooding Jr.
As the saga continues for Diddy, aka Sean Combs, a lawsuit filed against him now lists problematic actor Cuba Gooding Jr. as a co-defendant.
The LA Times reports Cuba Gooding Jr. has been named in a lawsuit against the Diddler brought by producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Joens, who worked on Sean Combs’ highly-anticipated The Love Album: Off The Grid.
According to the lawsuit like Diddy, the Jerry Maguire star got too handsy with the music producer, who feared Diddy was “grooming him” to pass him off to friends.
In an email sent to the LA Times, Rod’s attorney Tyrone Blackburn confirmed he filed the second amended complaint to the initial lawsuit on the same day the embattled music mogul’s homes were raided by Homeland Security as part of an investigation into alleged sex trafficking, which also led to his alleged “drug mule” being taken in.
Per The LA Times:
“Defendant Cuba Gooding, Jr. was a relevant actor who has fallen from grace due to several sexual assault lawsuits and a recent guilty plea for sexual assault,” said the complaint, which was obtained Tuesday by The Times. In it, Blackburn noted that his client — a Chicago-born producer, who produced nine songs on Diddy’s 2023 album — believed Combs “was grooming him to pass him off to his friends” and that “fear became reality” when Combs introduced him to Gooding on his yacht in January 2023.
Jones accused Gooding of fondling his “legs, upper inner thighs near his groin, the small of his back near his buttocks, and his shoulders,” which made the producer “extremely uncomfortable.” Although he allegedly rejected the actor’s advances, Gooding “did not stop until Mr. Jones forcibly pushed him away.”
“As the owner of the property, Mr. Combs had a duty to protect Mr. Jones from the harm he suffered at the hands of Cuba Gooding Jr. Mr. Combs breached his duty when he failed to stop Cuba Gooding Jr from sexually assaulting Mr. Jones,” the complaint said. “In furtherance of this breach, Mr. Combs encouraged Cuba Gooding Jr to continue his assault on Mr. Jones when he said that Cuba Gooding Jr should privately get to know Mr. Jones better. Mr. Jones has suffered immensely because of Mr. Combs’s intentional breach of his duty to him.”
Other names in the lawsuit include Diddy, his son Justin Combs, Universal Music Group chief executive Lucian Charles Grainge, UMG, former Motown Records executive Habtemariam and Motown Records, Love Records, Combs Global Enterprises, ABC Corporations, Diddy’s chief of staff Kristina “KK” Khorram and several John and Jane Does.
Sean “Diddy” Combs has reportedly agreed to a deal to sell his stake in Revolt TV after stepping down from his role as chairman in November amid sexual assault allegations.
According to TMZ, Combs sold his remaining shares of Revolt to an anonymous buyer. The report notes that the company will remain Black-owned. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Revolt TV’s new owner is reported to be keeping their identity hidden for the next few weeks but will eventually have a formal introduction as the head of the media company at a later date.
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The deal was reportedly finalized this week; Revolt’s current CEO, Detavio Samuels, and chief brand officer, Deon Graham, will remain in their roles for the time being.
The news broke as Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles homes were reportedly raided by federal agents on Monday (March 25). The raids were executed by Homeland Security “in connection” with an ongoing federal sex trafficking investigation, according to reports.
TMZ reported on Monday that Homeland Security of New York launched an ongoing investigation linked to Combs and that the case is being handled out of the Southern District of New York.
With officers swarming the Los Angeles property, video footage appeared to show individuals being detained, two of whom appeared to be Diddy’s sons, King Combs and Justin Combs. It’s unknown whether the elder Combs was at either home during the raids.
Combs has been the subject of numerous sexual assault-related civil lawsuits over the past several months. Ex-girlfriend Cassie lit the fuse in November 2023 when she filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of physical abuse and repeated sexual assault while they were dating. The two parties agreed to settle the lawsuit less than 24 hours later.
Later in November, after being accused of sexual abuse by two more women, Combs stepped down as chairman of Revolt, which he helped launch in 2013. In the months since, he has been accused of sexual assault in two additional lawsuits: one filed by a Jane Doe who claimed he “sex trafficked” and “gang raped” her and another by a music producer who allegedly worked with Combs on his 2023 album, The Love Album: Off the Grid.
The Bad Boy CEO has denied any wrongdoing and attempted to clear his name with a post on social media in December.
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” Combs wrote at the time. “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
Billboard has reached out to representatives for Combs for comment on this story.
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Diddy, known also as Sean Combs, had his homes in Los Angeles and Miami raided on Monday (March 25) in connection to a federal sex trafficking investigation. A video of Diddy surfaced online and showed the mogul simply walking around a Miami airport.
TMZ shared the footage of Diddy, 54, walking around Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport and was reportedly stopped by law enforcement officials.
According to an eyewitness, Diddy was waiting on other people who were part of his entourage who too were stopped by investigators although it isn’t known if anything came of it. The Department of Homeland Security officers appeared on the scene while the Bad Boy Records honcho was on a private jet.
Rumors online persisted that Combs was attempting to flee the country but considering that he isn’t under arrest, it does not appear that Diddy is on the run.
Thus far, four Jane Does, and one John Doe have been questioned by the Southern District of New York, who is said to be leading the criminal investigation.
This story is still developing and as new details emerge, we will update our reporting.
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Photo: ANGELA WEISS / Getty
A federal judge ruled Thursday (Feb. 29) that an unnamed woman suing Sean “Diddy” Combs over allegations that he “sex trafficked” and “gang raped” her must reveal her identity as the case moves forward.
The judge acknowledged that disclosing the accuser’s identity “could have a significant impact on her” due to the “graphic and disturbing allegations in this case,” but said the woman had failed to prove that she could proceed anonymously.
“While the court does not take plaintiff’s concerns lightly, the Court cannot rely on generalized, uncorroborated claims that disclosure would harm plaintiff to justify her anonymity,” Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke wrote.
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The judge cited previous lawsuits against Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein in which John Doe and Jane Doe accusers, respectively, had been denied anonymity and said that allowing cases to proceed under a pseudonym in the U.S. court system was “the exception and not the rule.”
The ruling will not take effect immediately; instead, the accuser will not be revealed until after the judge rules on Diddy’s pending motion to dismiss the lawsuit. It’s unclear when that ruling might come. If the case survives, the Jane Doe will be forced to reveal her name.
Thursday’s decision came in one of several abuse cases filed against the hip-hop mogul late last year. In the current case, the unnamed Jane Doe accuser claims that Combs and former Bad Boy Records president Harve Pierre “plied” her with drugs and alcohol before raping her in a Manhattan recording studio when she was a high school junior.
Combs has strongly denied those allegations, saying: “I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” Last week, he formally responded to the lawsuit, arguing that that the allegations are “fictional” and violate his constitutional right to due process.
For months, the two sides have wrangled over whether the Jane Doe accuser could proceed anonymously. She argued that the media attention she would face would result in fresh trauma, adding to what she already allegedly suffered. Diddy’s attorneys argued strongly the other way, saying it would be unfair to let his accuser proceed under a pseudonym while his name was dragged through the mud.
On Thursday, the judge sided clearly with Diddy’s argument, ruling that she had failed to show the kind of “particularized harm or current vulnerabilities” that would necessitate such special status.
“Although this case involves highly sensitive allegations and Doe has not publicly revealed her identity, all other factors weigh against Plaintiff’s motion should this case survive Defendants’ dispositive motions,” the judge wrote.
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Sean Combs, also known widely as Diddy, has denied any involvement in an alleged gang rape that took place back in 2003 inside a recording studio. A lawyer for Jane Doe in this particular matter has also responded to the statement made by Sean Combs, adding that the women who have come forth about the mogul “speak for themselves.”
Sean Combs, 54, has been dogged by sexual abuse allegations and related claims after ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura came forward with a harrowing list of claims that prompted the celebrated producer to settle the matter out of court instead of taking things to trial.
PEOPLE has obtained documents from the case which focuses on the alleged event taking place inside a Manhattan recording studio. The claim also named Harve Pierre and another man as the attackers of the alleged then-17-year-old victim.
“[Combs] never participated in, witnessed, or was or is presently aware of any misconduct, sexual or otherwise, relating to plaintiff in any circumstance whatsoever,” a portion of the filing read.
The outlet added that Combs and his side also had questions regarding photos used in conjunction with the complaint from Jane Doe and viewed the timing as curious.
“The context, genuineness, and/or accuracy of the photographs are disputed,” the filing continues. “Plaintiff’s decision to wait more than two decades to file her complaint has prejudiced [Combs], as he has lost the ability to defend himself fully and fairly in this action.”
In response to the filing, the attorney for Jane Doe wrote, “The deeply troubling allegations against the defendants by multiple women speak for themselves. The ridiculous claim that the photos are somehow fake and the law at issue is unconstitutional are nothing more than desperate attempts to conjure a defense where none exists.”
Combs is seeking to have the lawsuit thrown out with his side saying that the Victims Gender-Motivated Violence Act used to spark the matter is “unconstitutional.”
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Photo: Getty
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Source: MEGA / Getty / Diddy
Diddy continues to lose out on multiple bags due to the sexual assault lawsuits levied against him.
Spotted on Variety, a reality show in early production following the embattled music mogul and his family, has been scrapped by Hulu.
The website reports that the show was being developed with the working title Diddy+7 and James Corden’s production company, Fulwell 73, producing.
The scrapped reality show is the latest blow to the Diddy, born Sean Combs’ crumbling empire following the multiple sexual assault lawsuits that came after his ex-girlfriend, singer/actor/model Cassie Ventura alleged that 54-year-old raped and beat her for over a decade.
Combs denied any wrongdoing and would eventually settle with Cassie one day later, but that was not the end of his problems.
Cassie Broke The Damn
A week later, the hits kept coming when Joi Dickerson-Neal said that she was “drugged, sexually assaulted and abused” by Diddy and the victim of “revenge porn” that was created and distributed by the rapper.
A third lawsuit from a woman calling herself Jane Doe came alleging that Diddy and R&B singer and former member of Guy Aaron Hall “took turns raping her and her friends” and Hall’s apartment sometime between 1990 and 1991.
In another lawsuit, another Jane Doe said Combs, Bad Boy Entertainment president Harve Pierre, and a third man raped her when she was 17.
Diddy finally decided to break his silence on December 6 with a statement shared on Instagram and it read:
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
Welp.
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Photo: MEGA / Getty
Hulu has scrapped a reality show that was to follow Sean “Diddy” Combs and his family, according to a new report in Rolling Stone. Though it’s not clear when Hulu stopped making the show, the report comes after multiple allegations of sexual assault and abuse were lodged against the rapper and entrepreneur over the past month.
The project, which reportedly had a working title of Diddy+7, was being produced for Hulu by James Corden‘s production company, Fulwell 73, which also works on The Kardashians. A source with knowledge of the situation tells Billboard the show was in its nascent stages and is not currently in production.
Combs has been sued for sexual assault by a total of four women, including his longtime romantic partner, R&B singer Cassie, who accused him of rape and physical abuse, among other allegations. Though that case settled the day after it was filed, Combs was subsequently sued by three more women, all Jane Does, who say the hip-hop mogul sexually assaulted them. In the most recent case filed, the woman says she was “sex trafficked” and “gang raped” by Combs, former Bad Boy Records president Harve Pierre and another man in 2003 when she was 17. A separate case over that alleged incident was filed against Pierre and Bad Boy alleging sexual assault.
Combs has strongly denied all of the allegations; on Dec. 6, he released a public statement that said in part: “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
In the aftermath of the allegations, Combs stepped down from his role as chairman at Black music TV company REVOLT on Nov. 28. The company simultaneously released a statement saying that while Combs “had previously no operational or day-to-day role in the business, this decision helps ensure that REVOLT remains steadfastly focused on our mission to create meaningful content for the culture and amplify the voices of all Black people throughout this country and the African diaspora.”
According to Rolling Stone, a total of 23 brands have severed ties with Combs’ e-commerce marketplace Empower Global, which officially launched in July, since the allegations came out. The outlet also reports that in the wake of the lawsuits, liquor company Diageo — with which Combs has been embroiled in a bitter legal battle over his DeLeon Tequila brand for months — filed a request asking a judge to deny Combs’ request to control a $15 million marketing budget for DeLeon, which would entail his image appearing in new ads for the spirit.
Combs released a new album, The Love Album: Off the Grid, in September via his Love Records imprint.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and need support and/or resources, reach out to RAINN and the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE) for free, confidential help 24/7.
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Business mogul and entertainer Sean Combs, widely known as Diddy, is facing a mountain of a lawsuit connected to alleged abuse and other accusations. A report went wide that the Bad Boy honcho was under criminal investigation but the NYPD shot down those claims.
TMZ initially reported that Diddy was the target of an investigation, which came on the heels of the mogul facing a lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who claims that Combs allegedly raped her and engaged in human trafficking among other charges. It was reported as a “locked” investigation involving Sean Combs but it appears that was not the case.
The outlet returned to the report with an update that can be read in full below:
The full NYPD statement reads … “Yesterday, a member of the NYPD’s public information office erroneously told a reporter about the apparent existence of an active case file containing the name ‘Sean Combs.’ There is no such investigation, at present. Further, the release of such information is not consistent with the internal policies of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information. The NYPD always treats allegations of sexual assault and rape extremely seriously, and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a police report so that support and services can be offered to survivors and a comprehensive investigation can be conducted.”
Ventura filed her lawsuit in New York at the federal court level. A statement from Combs has yet to surface.
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