Sean "Diddy" Combs' long-standing practice of operating without formal contracts is now at the center of the legal storm surrounding an upcoming Netflix documentary, as former associates argue that the music mogul's own "sloppy" business habits enabled behind-the-scenes footage to reach filmmakers legally. The report, first surfaced by RadarOnline.com, comes as Combs-now incarcerated and facing federal scrutiny-attempts to block release of the documentary Sean Combs: The Reckoning.
The claims trace back to Rob Shuter, a former publicist who wrote on Substack that Combs routinely relied on informal understandings rather than signed agreements, even while employing photographers and videographers who recorded sensitive material. "I was shocked at how sloppy he was when it came to paperwork. He always had photographers and video crews trailing him, everywhere, all the time, but because he was cheap, he refused to do formal contracts," Shuter wrote.
Shuter added that Combs historically rested on power rather than legal protections. The mogul "expected loyalty" and "silence," he said, noting that "at the time, he was so powerful no one dared release anything without his approval." With Combs behind bars, however, he argued the dynamic has shifted, allowing footage to enter circulation after someone "offering the cameraman" money for tapes that Combs allegedly never secured exclusive rights to.
Combs' attorneys have taken the opposite position. In a sharply worded statement criticizing the Netflix project as a "shameful hit piece," they insisted the documentary relies on "stolen footage" that contains "private recordings" and even a privileged call with his legal team. They further accused Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, who has promoted the project, of being a "longtime adversary with a personal vendetta who has spent too much time slandering Mr. Combs."
In a teaser clip aired on Good Morning America, Combs appeared visibly distressed, saying, "We're losing," and adding, "We have to find someone that'll work with us that has dealt in the dirtiest of dirty business."
Shuter countered the theft allegations by emphasizing Netflix's legal threshold for publishing documentary material. "Netflix is a multibillion-dollar corporation. They don't air a single still photo without teams of lawyers clearing every frame and every copyright," he wrote, saying industry sources "back that up." He concluded, "This is what happens when you run an empire without contracts - and then the empire collapses."
As the legal fight intensifies, reports from inside prison describe Combs struggling to adjust. RadarOnline.com reported disciplinary issues involving "homemade alcohol" fermented from sugar, Fanta, and apples-an account at odds with defense claims that incarceration "helped him get sober for the first time in 25 years." His release date has reportedly been pushed back.
