Crime
Sean “Diddy” Combs Hit With Fresh Allegations As Lawyers Seek Gag Order
Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing a fresh wave of legal challenges, as seven new sexual abuse lawsuits have been filed against him, further complicating his already substantial legal troubles.
The civil lawsuits, made public on Sunday and Monday, were filed by four men and three women, accusing the music mogul of sexual misconduct in incidents that occurred in New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
While some allegations date back to 2000, the majority center around incidents in 2022, according to the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Tony Buzbee, who announced the new claims on Facebook.
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Several lawsuits allege that unidentified celebrities also participated in the assaults on Combs’ accusers.
Combs, 54, now faces at least two dozen civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct, with 13 of those cases being handled by Buzbee’s firm.
However, Combs has denied all wrongdoing.
The founder of Bad Boy Records is also facing a criminal trial, having pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation for prostitution.
He has been in detention for five weeks at a Brooklyn jail, which is notorious for its poor conditions, after being denied bail twice.
His legal team is appealing the decision.
The latest lawsuits add to a growing list of accusations against Combs, with prosecutors alleging that he coerced victims into participating in sex acts, bribed and intimidated them to keep quiet, and employed his staff to conceal the misconduct.
The seven plaintiffs in the new cases have used the pseudonyms John Doe or Jane Doe, and five of the lawsuits were filed in federal court, while two were filed in New York state court, all in Manhattan.
One of the more shocking allegations comes from a plaintiff who says she was 13 years old when Combs allegedly drugged and assaulted her at an afterparty for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards in New York.
The lawsuit claims that Combs and an unidentified male celebrity raped her while a female celebrity watched, after Combs reportedly declared, “You are ready to party.”
Another accuser, a 17-year-old aspiring artist, alleges that Combs assaulted him at a 2022 party in a Manhattan hotel penthouse.
According to the lawsuit, Combs promised the young man he could “make him a star” before drugging him, grabbing his genitals, and assaulting him in a room where others were engaged in group sex.
In response to these lawsuits, Combs’ legal team pointed to an earlier statement addressing Buzbee’s previous claims.
“Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process,” the lawyers stated.
“In court, the truth will prevail: Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman.”
Buzbee’s firm, which claims to represent over 150 of Combs’ accusers, is moving ahead with the cases.
Combs’ legal team, led by attorney Marc Agnifilo, has requested a gag order to prevent potential government witnesses and their lawyers from making public statements that could interfere with the fairness of Combs’ trial.
Agnifilo has objected to what he describes as efforts to “assassinate Mr. Combs’ character in the press,” including false allegations of child sexual abuse.
Agnifilo has also asked the judge to determine whether prosecutors authorized the public statements from the accusers and their lawyers and requested that these statements be removed from online platforms.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who is overseeing the criminal case, has ordered prosecutors to respond to the gag order request by October 30.
The five new federal civil lawsuits have been assigned to different judges, two of whom have asked the plaintiffs to justify why they should remain anonymous.
As Combs prepares for his criminal trial, scheduled for May 5, 2025, the accumulation of civil and criminal cases continues to cast a long shadow over his career and reputation.
The trial, which involves three felony charges, adds significant weight to the growing list of allegations against the music mogul, who once stood as an iconic figure in the entertainment industry.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced on Thursday that it is investigating several bank executives for various offenses.
The agency also reported that a preliminary investigation report on former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, has been submitted to President Bola Tinubu.
The EFCC disclosed that about five bank executives are currently serving jail terms in custodial centers across the country.
This was revealed by the Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajaren, who highlighted the achievements of the commission under Ola Olukoyede’s leadership.
While Uwajaren did not disclose the names of the bank executives under investigation, he emphasized that the banking sector has not been overlooked in the past year.
He said, “It’s just for us to look back and realise that EFCC has never shifted focus from any sector. Between 2009 and 2011, at least five bank executives were investigated and served their jail terms. There are still some that are under investigation.
“They are not politicians. Bank MDs are not immune to investigations or prosecution by the EFCC. We cannot mention names until those things are concluded.“
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On Betta Edu, Uwajaren said, “I don’t know the outcome. But I believe that we have submitted a preliminary report to the president. And I believe that we are still on the matter.
“The last time I checked, we mentioned the number of bank accounts that we were monitoring. We were looking at about 140 accounts. And we know it takes time to look into and get the required information.”
On the investigation of controversial crossdresser Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky’s allegations, Uwujaren said he could face a fresh charge from the commission if the allegations against the EFCC are false.
Bobrisky had in a voice note shared by controversial social critic Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, allegedly said he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him.
Although the EFCC denied the allegations, it set up a committee to investigate the matter.
Providing an update, Uwujaren stated that one could be charged for giving false information to the EFCC, let alone making false allegations against the commission.
He said, “There is a portion of the EFCC Act that states if you give false information, you can be tried, but in his case, it is an allegation against the agency. I don’t want to preempt the panel investigating the matter. Once we are through with the investigation, we will definitely brief you on the outcome.”
Reeling out the success of the commission under Olukoyede, Uwujaren said a total of ₦248bn has been recovered.
He also said four former governors and three former ministers have been prosecuted under Olukoyede.
Uwujaren said, “Ola Olukoyede’s one year as EFCC Chairman, beginning from October 18, 2023 to October 18, 2024, the Commission has charged four former governors, namely: Yahaya Adoza Bello (Kogi), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Willie Obiano (Anambra) and Darius Dickson Ishaku (Taraba), to court for alleged corruption.
“Two former ministers of power have been arrested and facing prosecution by the Commission. They are Saleh Mamman and Olu Agunloye. A third is a former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika.”
He also noted that in the past year, the EFCC, under Olukoyede’s watch, secured 3455 convictions across all categories of financial crimes and corruption.
“Also in the one year of Olukoyede’s leadership, the EFCC recorded $105,423,190.39; £ 53,133.64; €172,547.10; T1,300.00; CAD $ 3,400.00; ¥74,859:00 (Seventy-Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Nine Chinese Yuan); AUS $ 740:00; 170:00 UAE DIRHAM; 73,000:00 KOREAN WON; CFA 7,821,375:00 to R 50:00,” he added.
He said more than 35 were convicted for Naira abuse.
“The convicts cut across different classes of society, with Idris Okuneye (a.k.a. Bobrisky) and Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, a Nollywood actress who bagged six months imprisonment, topping the chart of high-profile convicts in this regard. Another offender, Pascal Chibuike Okechukwu (a.k.a. Cubana Chief Priest), had his charges compounded and was fined,” he stated.
In a shocking incident that has captured widespread attention on social media, a young man and four of his friends tragically lost their lives after consuming pepper soup allegedly laced with poison.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 26, in Auchi, Edo State.
According to reports gathered by BIZTELLERS, the suspect, identified only as Peculiar, is the ex-girlfriend of the young man.
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Sources indicate that she prepared the fatal dish in a bid to seek revenge for their broken relationship. The group had gathered to enjoy a meal together when they unknowingly consumed the tainted fish pepper soup.
As details of the case continue to emerge, it has been confirmed that Peculiar has been arrested by the Nigerian Army. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, as friends and family mourn the loss of the young men.
As the community grapples with this heartbreaking loss, further updates on the investigation are expected in the coming days.
A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has sentenced Henry Nathaniel Ekanem, a final-year student of the University of Port Harcourt, to 14 years in prison on charges of internet fraud.
Justice A.T. Mohammed delivered the sentence following Ekanem’s arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on seven counts related to impersonation and obtaining money under false pretenses.
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Ekanem was found guilty of defrauding multiple victims, including Diana Roskov, out of $22 and other sums.
According to the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, Ekanem had posed as “Coran Capsha,” the manager of American musician Chris Stapleton, and used WhatsApp and Instagram to deceive his victims. Ekanem admitted his guilt when the charges were read in court.
Defense attorney F.T. Fred-Boufini pleaded for leniency, arguing that Ekanem had no prior criminal record and was a first-time offender.
However, Justice Mohammed imposed a two-year prison term for each of the seven counts, totaling 14 years, with an option for Ekanem to pay a fine of N200,000 per count to the Nigerian government.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of all mobile devices recovered from Ekanem, as they were classified as proceeds of crime.
Additionally, Ekanem must sign an affidavit of good behavior before the court as a condition for his release after serving his sentence or paying the fines.
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