Justin Bieber has denied being a victim of Sean "Diddy" Combs amid growing speculation online and intensified public scrutiny surrounding the music mogul's ongoing federal sex-trafficking trial in Manhattan.
In a statement released through his representatives Thursday night, Bieber, 31, made clear he was never harmed by Combs, who played a role in launching the Canadian pop star's career when he was a teenager.
"Although Justin is not among Sean Combs' victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him," Bieber's team told TMZ. "Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve."
The clarification follows a resurgence of online speculation over Bieber's past interactions with Combs. Social media users have resurfaced clips and interviews from Bieber's early career, including a 2009 vlog where Combs said, "Where we're hanging out and what we're doing cannot really be disclosed... For the next 48 hours, he's with me and we're gonna go buck full crazy."
In a 2011 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Bieber remarked that Combs had promised to buy him a Lamborghini. Combs responded on-air, "He knows better than to be talking about the things that he does with Big Brother Puff on national television. Everything ain't for everybody."
Combs, 55, is currently on trial in the Southern District of New York, where he faces charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty.
"We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney's Office," Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo said. "He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal... These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court."
Prosecutors allege Combs orchestrated highly structured sex parties referred to as "freak-offs," often involving his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Ventura has testified that she was drugged, raped, and physically abused during these encounters.
Combs has been held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2024. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian has denied four separate bail requests.
