Sean "Diddy" Combs has filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against his accuser, Courtney Burgess, her attorney Ariel Mitchell, and Nextstar Media Group, the parent entity of television network NewsNation. On Wednesday, January 22nd, Combs' legal representatives submitted the lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, accusing the defendants of deliberately concocting and propagating false claims about him for monetary gain. Furthermore, the lawsuit alleges that NewsNation broadcast these accusations without conducting a proper due diligence, resulting in significant economic and reputational harm to Combs, as well as jeopardizing his right to a fair trial with an impartial jury.
Currently, the 55-year-old Combs is detained in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. He has steadfastly denied all allegations.
The lawsuit begins by asserting that Burgess falsely claimed to possess videos showing Combs "engaged in sexual assault of celebrities and minors." Both Burgess and Mitchell allegedly repeated these claims to various news outlets, including NewsNation. Combs' attorneys contend that, since the alleged tapes do not exist, Mitchell and Burgess's assertions that they had footage were either knowingly false or recklessly made.
Burgess also falsely claimed that Kim Porter, Combs' late ex-partner and mother of four of his children who passed away in 2018, gave her a copy of her memoir along with videos depicting Combs "sexually assaulting inebriated celebrities and minors." Combs' attorneys categorically deny that Burgess has ever met Combs or had any connection to his family. Erica Wolff, Combs' lawyer, previously described the memoir as "fake," "offensive," and "a shameless attempt to profit from tragedy." Combs and Porter's four children also rejected the memoir's authenticity before it was removed from Amazon.
Combs also named Mitchell in the lawsuit, noting that she had filed multiple lawsuits against him, including one representing an adult entertainer who claimed she was sex-trafficked by him. The lawsuit claims that despite not serving either lawsuit, Mitchell extensively discussed them with the media.
The court documents reference a NewsNation segment broadcast in late September, where Mitchell allegedly "falsely stated" that tapes showing Combs in compromising positions with other celebrities had been leaked in Hollywood. She further claimed that individuals were unwittingly recorded in Combs' home. In response, the NewsNation host allegedly said, "[I]t sounds like there was probably a lot of hidden cameras as well," despite lacking any evidence to support Mitchell's allegations.
"NewsNation, as per information and belief, failed to conduct any investigation before broadcasting the false allegations, even though it could have easily done so," alleges the lawsuit. It adds that the network did not seek comment from Combs' representatives before airing the segment.
The filing further alleges that Burgess and Mitchell made similar statements to reporters on the day Combs appeared before a grand jury in his sex crimes case, where they allegedly "continued to repeat false and defamatory claims that Burgess possessed videos depicting Combs sexually assaulting celebrities, including minors." Burgess served as a witness during the grand jury hearing.
Mitchell also appeared in Peacock's "Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy," where she described Combs as "a man who has done awful things to hundreds, maybe thousands of people," according to court documents.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants have profited from their public allegations against Combs, with Burgess earning money from her fake Kim Porter memoir, and Mitchell promoting herself in the media while making accusations against Combs. It further alleges that NewsNation's broadcasting of Mitchell and Burgess's allegations increased the network's viewership.
"The defendants made these false and defamatory statements in bad faith, as part of a concerted effort to tarnish Combs's reputation, undermine his business, and portray him as debauched and a pedophile, thereby poisoning the public's perception of him and jeopardizing his right to a fair trial," alleges Combs' legal team.
Combs is suing for defamation for an amount to be determined at trial, but no less than $50 million, inclusive of punitive damages, and is demanding a jury trial.
"This is merely a desperate attempt to silence victims and those who advocate for them. Diddy has the time to sue but refuses to accept service for the lawsuits already filed against him," Mitchell told PEOPLE. "I look forward to countersuing and ensuring the court punishes not only Diddy but also his lawyers who filed this frivolous and meritless lawsuit."
"Sean 'Diddy' Combs is standing up against the malicious falsehoods orchestrated and perpetuated by individuals aiming to profit at his expense," said Wolff, Combs' attorney at Sher Tremonte LLP, addressing the new lawsuit. "These defendants have deliberately fabricated and disseminated outrageous lies with reckless disregard for the truth. Their falsehoods have poisoned public perception and tainted the jury pool. This complaint serves as a warning that such deliberate falsehoods, which undermine Mr. Combs's right to a fair trial, will not be tolerated any longer."
