Gerrard Kaonga
Diddy’s mother has spoken out in defense of her son as he faces a slew of sexual abuse and trafficking allegations.
Janice Combs, Sean 'Diddy' Comb’s mother, issued a statement on Sunday defending her son against his many allegations.
The hip-hop mogul was indicted by federal prosecutors in mid-September on racketeering and sex trafficking charges, and has since been denied bail twice. He has repeatedly denied all the charges levied against him.
The 54-year-old could have as many as 120 people filing against him, according to attorney Tony Buzbee. They are all planning to take legal action against Diddy, and with allegations ranging from exploitation to sexual abuse, the lawsuit is mounting.
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Buzbee shared that he is intending to file lawsuits against the rapper within the next 30 days from both men and women, with ages between 9 and 38 - including a 15-year-old girl who was allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted in Diddy's presence.
Now, Diddy's mother, Janice Combs, has released a statement through attorney Natlie G. Figgers.
Obtained by the Hollywood Reporter on October 6, she said: “My son is not the monster they have painted him to be, and he deserves the chance to tell his side.
“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies.
“To bear witness [to] what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words. Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence.”
She went on to acknowledge that 'he has made mistakes in his past', referencing her son reaching a settlement with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura after shocking hotel CCTV footage from 2016 showed him assaulting her.
"My son may not have been entirely truthful about certain things, such as denying he has ever gotten violent with an ex-girlfriend when the hotel's surveillance showed otherwise," she said.
"Sometimes, the truth and a lie become so closely intertwined that it becomes terrifying to admit one part of the story, especially when that truth is outside the norm or is too complicated to be believed."
Diddy’s attorneys have also issued a statement to UNILAD and reiterated they are looking forward to addressing all the claims against the rapper in court.
The statement read: “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, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org