Sean “Diddy” Combs is making headlines yet again, this time with a $50 million defamation lawsuit aimed at Courtney Burgess, a figure at the centre of sensational claims involving the music mogul.
Burgess alleges possession of videos depicting Diddy engaging in heinous acts, including sexual assault on celebrities and individuals he suggests may be minors. Also implicated in the lawsuit are Burgess’ attorney, Ariel Mitchell, and Nexstar Media Inc., the parent company of NewsNation.
The drama unfolded with Burgess’ explosive appearance on NewsNation. During his interview, he not only repeated his claims of having incriminating videos but also dropped a bombshell, alleging that “two to three” of the celebrities featured in the footage might be underage.
According to Burgess, these videos came from an acquaintance of the late Kim Porter, Diddy’s ex-partner and mother to four of his children, who passed away in 2018. Burgess further claimed he had access to a draft of Porter’s memoir.
However, Burgess’ credibility came under intense scrutiny when he testified before a federal grand jury. He admitted to disposing of the flash drives containing the alleged videos, though he noted the files might still exist on his phone and email—both of which have since been seized.
Through his attorney, Erica Wolff, Diddy condemned the allegations as baseless and defamatory. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is taking a stand against the malicious falsehoods that have been fabricated and amplified by individuals seeking to profit at his expense,” Wolff stated. “These defendants have willfully fabricated and disseminated outrageous lies with reckless disregard for the truth.”
Diddy’s camp maintains that neither he nor anyone in his family has ever met Burgess. In fact, the lawsuit reveals that Porter’s children and her roommate of 20 years have no knowledge of Burgess either. Curiously, Burgess himself admitted to never having met Diddy.
Burgess isn’t the only target of Diddy’s legal wrath. Ariel Mitchell, Burgess’ attorney, is accused of actively spreading these allegations, including appearances on NewsNation and the Peacock documentary The Making of a Bad Boy.
Mitchell allegedly claimed that the videos were already circulating in Hollywood. NewsNation is similarly under fire for broadcasting these accusations without verifying their legitimacy, a move Diddy’s team says has “poisoned public perception and contaminated the jury pool.”
The lawsuit demands $50 million in monetary and punitive damages to hold the defendants accountable for their “malicious and reckless conduct.” Wolff hopes this case sends a clear message: “Such intentional falsehoods, which undermine Mr. Combs’s right to a fair trial, will no longer be tolerated.”
But Mitchell remains defiant, labelling the lawsuit “frivolous and meritless.” In a statement to The New York Times, she vowed to countersue, saying, “I look forward to ensuring the court punishes not only Diddy but also his lawyers who filed this pathetic lawsuit.”
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