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Combs's mother, Janice Small Combs, released a statement defending her son, who was arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 17 on a three-count indictment accusing him of running a criminal enterprise that involved sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice, BBC reported on Monday, Oct. 7.
"It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies," Small Combs said, adding that her son, a 54-year-old New York City native who grew up in Westchester County's Mount Vernon, has "made mistakes in the past, as we all have," according to BBC.
The outlet also added that Small Combs specifically addressed one incident involving Diddy's partner Cassie Ventura, who accused him of rape and physical abuse in a lawsuit filed in November 2023 that was settled within a day. In May 2024, a video leaked depicting Combs allegedly attacking his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016.
"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," Small Combs said, adding that she was "not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not."
"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...This is why I believe my son’s civil legal team opted to settle the ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit instead of contesting it until the end, resulting in a ricochet effect as the federal government used this decision against my son by interpreting it as an admission of guilt," BBC reported Small Combs as saying in her statement.
Diddy previously apologized for his actions in the leaked video in an Instagram post on Sunday, May 19, writing that he had hit "rock bottom," and that his behavior was "inexcusable."
To conclude her statement, Combs' mother said one lie did not mean her son was guilty of all accusations against him and claimed his accusers may be motivated by money.
The statement comes a week after Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee announced that he is currently representing 120 people with various allegations against Combs occurring over two decades, according to NBC.
These include sexual assault or rape; facilitated sex with a controlled substance; dissemination of video recordings; and even the sexual abuse of minors, the outlet said.
Combs also must fight against a federal indictment accusing him of forcing women to engage in frequent days-long sexual activity with male commercial sex workers that he referred to as "Freak Offs." To make sure his victims participated in these "Freak Offs," Combs would use violence and intimidation to leverage his power over them, federal officials said.
Combs will next appear in court on Wednesday, Oct. 9, according to BBC. He has been denied bail by prosecutors, who argue he poses a risk to the upcoming trial, the outlet added.
Click here to read the full report by BBC.
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