As Diddy remains behind bars, things have gone from bad to worse.
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A Texas-based attorney announced Tuesday that 120 accusers have come forward to say they were sexually abused by the Bad Boy mogul and some of his associates. NBC News reports that attorney Tony Buzbee held a news conference Tuesday saying he’s representing over 100 people with allegations against Diddy that occurred over 20 years.
Buzbee said at least 25 of the alleged victims were minors at the time of the alleged abuse, with the youngest being 9 years old. The attorney said the child was brought to New York City by Combs’ record label, Bad Boy Records, for an audition, but was sexually abused by Combs and his associates at the studio. The boy was promised that he and his parents would get a record deal, Buzbee said.
“We will expose the enablers who enabled this conduct behind closed doors. We will pursue this matter no matter who the evidence implicates,” NBC News reports Buzbee said during the news conference.
Buzbee claimed his team has gathered evidence, including photos, videos, and texts, to support the allegations. He stated that the accusations include violent sexual assault, rape, facilitated sex with controlled substances, dissemination of video recordings, and sexual abuse of minors.
“This list is long, and the names involved will shock you,” said Buzbee added.
One of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, Andrew Van Arsdale called the forthcoming filings “unprecedented in scope” in an interview with The Washington Post and said he was struck by the similarities in the accusations. Many of the alleged victims were trying to break into the music industry when they received an invitation to an event hosted by Combs, he said.
Van Arsdale also said that the lawsuits will name a number of co-defendants, including members of Combs’s family, record labels, event venues, and Combs’s associates including “household names.”
Diddy’s Attorney Issues Statement Denying He Abused Anyone, “Including Minors”
Combs’ legal team has responded, with his lawyer Erica Wolff issuing a statement to NBC News vehemently denying the new allegations while dubbing the new allegations “meritless” and part of a “reckless media circus.”
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“As Mr. Combs’ legal team has emphasized, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus. That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors. He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court if and when claims are filed and served, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”
NBC News reports that attorney Tony Buzbee history of representing high-profile victims, including accusers of NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson and victims of the Astroworld tragedy who filed a massive lawsuit against Travis Scott following the 2021 festival.
Diddy remains behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, following his indictment on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys are filing an appeal on his behalf.