Sean "Diddy" Combs has filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit in New York federal court against Nexstar Media Inc. (owner of NewsNation), attorney Ariel Mitchell, and Courtney Burgess, a witness in his criminal trial, alleging they propagated false claims of his involvement in sexual assaults captured on fabricated videotapes. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, accuses the defendants of disseminating lies that have caused "profound reputational and economic injury" while prejudicing his upcoming trial.
Combs, 54, has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and other serious offenses. He is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn as he awaits trial, scheduled to begin May 5. If convicted on all counts, the hip-hop mogul faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.
"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," said Erica Wolff, Combs' attorney, in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
The suit claims that Burgess falsely alleged he possessed videos showing Combs sexually assaulting minors and celebrities, a claim repeated by Mitchell, Burgess's attorney, and aired on NewsNation. "These defendants have willfully fabricated and disseminated outrageous lies with reckless disregard for the truth," Wolff stated.
According to court filings, Burgess claimed to have received the purported videos from Kim Porter, Combs' late ex-girlfriend, despite allegedly having no more than "a passing acquaintance" with her. The lawsuit also accuses Burgess of attempting to profit from the allegations by publishing a fake memoir purportedly written by Porter.
The legal complaint states that Mitchell not only repeated Burgess's claims but also engaged in efforts to monetize the allegations. According to the lawsuit, Mitchell appeared on NewsNation and other platforms to discuss the purported videos, demanding "valuable benefits and payments" in exchange for interviews, including first-class airfare, hotel stays, and additional fees.
NewsNation is also named in the lawsuit for "recklessly repeating and amplifying" the allegations without verifying their accuracy or contacting Combs' representatives for comment. Combs' legal team asserts that these actions have poisoned public perception and jeopardized his right to a fair trial.
In their filing, Combs' attorneys referred to the allegations as "deliberate efforts to damage Mr. Combs's reputation, undermine his businesses, and paint him as debauched and a pedophile." They argue that the defendants acted with bad faith to gain publicity and financial benefit.
Mitchell is known for representing high-profile sexual assault accusers, including cases against Trey Songz and Chris Brown, but the lawsuit claims her cases against those celebrities were later disproven. The filing also alleges that Mitchell's participation in a Peacock documentary titled The Making of a Bad Boy, which aired earlier this month, further amplified defamatory claims against Combs.
Combs' attorneys have dismissed the allegations as "wild lies and conspiracy theories," asserting that no such tapes exist. The lawsuit seeks to hold Burgess, Mitchell, and NewsNation accountable for defamation and is asking for "not less than $50 million" in damages.
Neither Burgess nor Mitchell responded to requests for comment, and NewsNation has yet to issue a statement on the matter.
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Combs' criminal case are preparing to present their case over three weeks starting in May, while the defense is expected to take one week. The charges allege that Combs orchestrated a criminal enterprise through his various business ventures, including Bad Boy Entertainment and Combs Enterprises, to commit acts of violence, coercion, and abuse.
