How Should A-List Celebrities Navigate Diddy’s Wild Party?
“In the best case, celebrities who attended Diddy’s parties will become witnesses. In the worst case, they will be co-defendants,” said one lawyer.
“3 more A-list stars leaked sex tape with Diddy”, “A-list stars panic when sex tape with Diddy is sold”… are the headlines of articles revolving around the hottest lawsuit in showbiz right now.
Bryan Freedman, a celebrity lawyer in Los Angeles, said many of the highest-ranking figures, including artists, executives, managers and others, are “not sleeping well” because they fear being accused of being accomplices of the rap mogul.
Speaking to Business Insider , several other lawyers said that individuals who were not directly involved in the crime were also affected to some extent. And instead of sitting still, they should act soon.
Don’t sit still.
The 14-page indictment against Sean “Diddy” Combs does not mention the lavish, star-studded “white parties” from 1990 to early 2000. However, lawyers advise anyone who attended those parties to consider and prepare a legal team to deal with a bad situation.
For Jennifer Lopez, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Khloé Kardashian… the celebrities who have been called out for appearing at Diddy’s parties from the 2000s onwards, the possibility of being investigated or called to testify is very high, even if they don’t think they witnessed anything bad.
This was confirmed by Wayne Dennison – the lawyer who represented Johnny Depp’s legal team in the defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard in 2022. He said that Diddy’s case was of a particularly serious nature and was being tried in a high court, so the jury needed to collect all the evidence, interview witnesses and “not leave any details unturned”.
“Anyone who attended parties in the Hamptons, Beverly Hills, and St. Tropez should proactively contact their own attorneys and public relations professionals. In court, they may be asked to provide relevant information to help clarify the allegations against Diddy,” the expert said.
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| Diddy – the owner of the white parties that caused a stir in public opinion. Photo: BI. |
According to Dennison, juries tend to view celebrities as credible, key witnesses in criminal cases, especially those involving human trafficking and rape. “It is reported that Mr. Combs hosted very large parties, possibly with guest lists that prosecutors already knew about. The only way for the prosecution to determine who knew what and when is to talk to the attendees,” he said.
Meanwhile, Neama Rahmani, president and co-founder of the law firm West Coast Trial Lawyers, said: “If I were a participant in Diddy’s freak-offs, I would be shaking. In the best case, participants become witnesses. In the worst case, they become co-defendants.”
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In a series of lawsuits against Diddy alleging sexual misconduct, former actress Adria English claims the rap mogul hired her as an entertainer at his white-tie parties at his homes in the Hamptons and Miami from 2004 to 2009, forcing her to have sex with guests.
In July, English filed a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court, saying that at a party, she was asked to wear a black dress “to appear on the surface as an employee, but deeper down, as a woman who was being sex trafficked.”
In response to the lawsuit, Diddy’s attorney Jonathan Davis responded: “No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it will not change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sexually trafficked anyone. We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit without any evidence.”
However, attorney Neama Rahmani told Business Insider that if there are overlapping claims and a slew of evidence related to sex trafficking, celebrity victims should definitely consult an attorney.
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| Diddy’s mother criticized the allegations against her son. Photo: Page Six. |
According to the latest information, another federal judge, Arun Subramanian, has been assigned to handle Diddy’s case. Arun Subramanian is also the judge in charge of the Justice Department’s lawsuit against ticketing company Ticketmaster.
Experts say the new judge will help Diddy, at least in the short term, as the rapper remains incarcerated at the notorious Brooklyn jail and continues to request bail.
In the nearly three weeks since his arrest in mid-September, Diddy has been denied bail twice because prosecutors say he used violence and drugs to force women into sex.
“With Subramanian leading the case, Combs’ attorneys could argue for bail a third time, but the chances of success are uncertain,” said one attorney.
Responding to Page Six , a former inmate who was held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) said that even as a famous star, Diddy did not receive special treatment behind bars.
Timothy Smith, a former contestant on the reality show Married at First Sight Australia who served time for drug trafficking, said: “Prisoners are allowed some basic things, like clothes and sneakers from the store, but that’s it. If anyone tries to hoard, they take everything. Money and wealth don’t bring Diddy or any other powerful prisoners any benefit.”
In another development, through attorney Natlie G. Figgers on October 7, Ms. Janice Small Combs spoke out against the accusations against her son. Saying “Diddy is not the monster that everyone describes,” the woman added: “My son deserves to go to court, share his views and prove his innocence.”
