Sean “Diddy” Combs is suing a man who claimed to be in possession of flash drives containing footage of the rapper’s “freak-off” parties. According to documents obtained by Pitchfork, Diddy has filed a defamation lawsuit in a New York federal court against Courtney Burgess and Burgess’ lawyer, Ariel Mitchell, who also represents Diddy accuser Ashley Parham. Also named in the complaint is media company NewsNation, which broadcast an interview with Burgess in November.
Burgess claims that the flash drives were given to him by Diddy’s former partner Kim Porter before her death in 2018, and that they contain footage of Diddy sexually assaulting minors; he has also said that other celebrities, including a then-underage Justin Bieber, appear in the tapes, with some being assaulted by Diddy.
Diddy’s lawsuit describes Burgess and Mitchell as “fueling a media frenzy, fabricating outlandish claims and stirring up baseless speculation about Mr. Combs.” In addition, in a statement, Diddy’s attorney, Erica Wolff, said “This complaint should serve as a warning that such intentional falsehoods, which undermine Mr. Combs’s right to a fair trial, will no longer be tolerated.”
Through his lawsuit, Diddy is seeking at least $50 million in damages. Pitchfork has reached out to representatives for Burgess and NewsNation for comment.
Diddy is set to stand trial on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges in May. He is currently the defendant in dozens of civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault, battery, and grooming. He is also the subject of multiple documentaries about his alleged wrongdoing, including Peacock’s Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy. Diddy has broadly denied allegations against him.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
https://rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741
