Sean “Diddy” Combs may soon face a new wave of legal challenges as more than 100 men and women prepare to file civil lawsuits against the music mogul. Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, in a press conference on Tuesday, announced that his firm, The Buzbee Law Firm, along with the AVA Law Group, have been retained by at least 120 individuals who claim to have been victimized by Combs and others.
Buzbee outlined the scope of the accusations, which include allegations of violent sexual assault, rape, sexual abuse, false imprisonment, and sex trafficking. The attorney emphasized that these cases would be pursued individually rather than as part of a class action lawsuit.
“Some of the cases we intend to file will center on allegations of violent sexual assault or rape, sexual abuse, facilitating sex with controlled substances, false imprisonment, compelling prostitution, sexual misconduct, dissemination of video recordings, and sexual abuse of minors,” Buzbee stated.
Among those coming forward, Buzbee revealed that half are men, half are women, and 25 of the individuals were minors at the time of the alleged incidents. These accusations span from cities such as Los Angeles, New York, and Miami, with many incidents reportedly occurring at private parties or industry-related auditions.
“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,” Combs’ attorney Erica Wolff said in a statement to CNN on Tuesday.
Buzbee also noted that over 55% of the accusers had reported their experiences to authorities or medical professionals at the time, and his firm is actively collecting evidence from these records. The attorney stated that lawsuits will begin to be filed within the next 30 days as part of an ongoing process to vet and gather additional evidence.
In addition to Combs, Buzbee indicated that other individuals and entities may be named in these lawsuits, depending on the claims and evidence presented.
Since last year, Combs has been hit with 12 civil suits, 11 of which accuse him of sexual assault. While the media mogul has settled one claim, he has not yet responded to all of the remaining lawsuits.
Combs, currently incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, is also awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Federal investigators continue to probe the allegations, with searches of Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami residences conducted earlier this year by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
In her statement, Wolff added that Combs “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.”
As the legal battles mount, Buzbee clarified that his firm will not back down in seeking justice for the alleged victims, saying, “We will pursue every case individually to ensure that the voices of these survivors are heard.”
