The mother of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, Janice Small Combs, has expressed her deep devastation following the serious criminal charges facing her son.
Diddy, known for his 1997 hit I’ll Be Missing You, was arrested last month on allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering and is currently being held at a Manhattan detention center after being denied bail.
In a public statement issued by her lawyer, Natalie G. Figgers, Janice Small Combs defended her son, acknowledging that while he has made mistakes, he is not the person portrayed in the media.
“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” she wrote.
Her comments come after news broke that more than 100 potential accusers, both male and female, are considering legal action against Diddy for sexual assault, rape, and sexual exploitation.
The accusations build on a series of legal battles Combs has faced since last year, beginning with a lawsuit filed by his former partner, Cassie Ventura.
She accused him of rape and abuse, a case that was quickly settled out of court.
However, the legal troubles did not stop there. Diddy has since been sued by 12 additional women, many of whom allege they were drugged and assaulted by the rapper.
Federal agents raided his properties in March as part of an ongoing investigation.
A particularly damning piece of evidence surfaced in May, when a video leaked showing Diddy physically assaulting Ventura in a hotel room in 2016. In her statement, Ms. Small Combs referred to the video, admitting her son had not been entirely truthful about past actions.
“My son may not have been entirely truthful about certain things,” she acknowledged, referencing the video footage.
Despite this admission, she stood by her son, explaining that the complexity of truth and lies can make it difficult to face certain facts.
She suggested the settlement of the lawsuit had been misinterpreted by federal authorities as an admission of guilt, contributing to the barrage of accusations now facing him.
Diddy has previously apologized for the 2016 incident, stating, “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”
Janice Small Combs concluded her statement by insisting that one lie does not equate to guilt on all charges. “It is truly agonizing to watch the world turn against my son so quickly and easily over lies and misconceptions,” she said, further suggesting that some of the accusations were motivated by financial gain.
Diddy’s legal team has denied all the charges, calling them “false and defamatory.”
He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, October 9, when his lawyers will again attempt to secure his release on bail.
Prosecutors have previously argued against his release, citing his efforts to obstruct the government’s investigation by contacting victims and witnesses to influence their testimony.
