Sean “Diddy” Combs is escalating his legal battle against one of his accusers and the news outlet that helped publicize his claims.
Combs, who sued Courtney Burgess in January for $50 million on allegations of defamation, amended his complaint against the man in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Aug. 11, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY. Burgess’ attorney, Ariel Mitchell, and news broadcaster NewsNation are also named as defendants in the lawsuit.
The Grammy-winning rapper is now seeking additional compensation, no less than $100 million in damages, for the “severe reputational harm” caused by Burgess’ “outlandish claims,” which Combs’ attorneys allege culminated in a “media frenzy” against the embattled hip-hop mogul.
“In this pitiful spectacle, all pretense of objectivity has been abandoned, as a global audience feasts at the all-you-can-eat buffet of wild lies and conspiracy theories,” the lawsuit states. “Mitchell and Burgess are among the worst perpetrators in this offensive scenario.
“They eagerly court every opportunity to broadcast blatant falsehoods, pretending they have proof that Mr. Combs engaged in heinous acts, knowing that no such proof exists,” Combs’ team alleges.
Combs and his attorneys also accuse NewsNation, in its coverage of Burgess’ claims, of “lend(ing) its credibility to and amplify(ing) defendant Burgess and Mitchell’s lies, giving them a mainstream media platform to malign (Combs) for defendants’ collective profit.”
In an October 2024 interview aired by NewsNation, Burgess and Mitchell alleged that the man, who reportedly at one point testified in front of a grand jury for Combs’ federal criminal case, possessed several videos purportedly showing Combs sexually assaulting minors, including celebrities, at his “freak off” sex parties.
At the time of his original lawsuit in January, Combs, who was awaiting trial in his landmark sex crimes case, sought $50 million in damages for Burgess and Mitchell’s claims. The disgraced music mogul said the pair’s remarks about “freak off” footage had the potential to “poison the minds” of people who might serve on Combs’ jury.
Combs was arrested in September 2024 on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. In July, the rapper was found guilty on two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution and acquitted of the remaining offenses.
The rapper, who remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, was denied bail on Aug. 4 after his legal team requested he be released on a $50 million bond. S: USA Today
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