Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team is firing back.
The hip-hop mogul made headlines this week after he was hit with a $30 million lawsuit alleging sexual assault and harassment. The plaintiff was identified as Rodney Jones, a.k.a. Lil Rod — a producer who worked on Diddy’s most recent project, 2023’s The Love Album: Off the Grid. Among the allegations is that Diddy and his son, Justin Combs, had consorted with sex workers and underage girls during drug-fueled parties; however, Diddy’s lawyer has since denied the accusations, claiming two of the women who appeared in the suit were actually in their 30s.
Attorney Shawn Holley told TMZ that the suit, which was filed Monday in federal court, included photos of the father and son hanging out with the purported minors. Although one the individuals’ faces were blacked out in the documents, TMZ has confirmed that one of them was Justin’s 32-year-old girlfriend. TMZ obtained a redacted version of a photo and concluded the women in the picture “appear[ed] to be Justin’s significant other, Stephanie Rao.”
Another woman, identified simply as Chelsea, said her photo was also included in Jones’ lawsuit, but said the complaint mislabeled her as a minor. The 33-year-old mother told the outlet that the picture in question was taken last year; she supported her claim by providing another photo that showed her wearing the same outfit that was seen in the lawsuit image.
In addition to the grooming allegations, Jones also accused Diddy of improper payment and sexual exploitation. He claimed Diddy would constantly grope him, and forced him to watch gay pornographic videos, including one that allegedly showed producer Stevie J having sex with another man. The lawsuit reportedly included stills from the video in question; however, adult film actor D’Angelo “Knockout” Marquis has since come forward claiming it is he who appeared in the video stills, not Stevie J.
Holley said the revelations surrounding Jones’ claims prove the plaintiff is a “liar” who is simply “looking for an undeserved payday.”
“His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines,” the attorney told Rolling Stone.
Justin Combs’ lawyer echoed Holley, saying the complaint was “a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family.”
