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Sean "Diddy" Combs has filed a 50 million USD defamation lawsuit against accuser Courtney Burgess, his attorney Ariel Mitchell and Nextstar Media Group, the parent company of television network NewsNation on January 22, as reported by People magazine.
As per the report, Combs' attorneys filed the lawsuit in the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, alleging the defendants deliberately fabricated and amplified false claims about him for financial gain. He also alleged that NewsNation broadcasted the allegations without conducting proper due diligence. The complaint stated that those actions have caused Combs economic and reputational harm, as well as tainted his right to a fair trial with an impartial jury. Combs is currently in Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting trial for sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution charges. The rapper has denied the allegations. As per the report of People, the lawsuit first alleges Burgess claimed he had videos of Combs in which he was involved in the sexual assault of celebrities and minors. Burgess and Mitchell allegedly repeated the allegations to several news outlets, including NewsNation, the filing states. Combs' attorneys claim because the alleged tapes don't exist, Mitchell and Burgess' statements that they possessed footage "were either knowingly blatant falsehoods or recklessly false statements." The music mogul also named attorney Mitchell in the lawsuit, noting that the lawyer filed multiple lawsuits against him, including one on behalf of an adult entertainer who alleged she had been sex trafficked by Combs. In response to this, the lawsuit claimed, "To date, even though Mitchell has not served either of those lawsuits, she has spoken about them extensively to the media." The court documents reference a NewsNation segment that aired in late September where Mitchell allegedly stated that tapes of Combs in compromising positions with other celebrities have been leaked throughout Hollywood. The NewsNation host allegedly told Mitchell in response, "[I]t sounds like there was probably a lot of hidden cameras as well," despite having "no evidentiary support" of Mitchell's allegations. "NewsNation, upon information and belief, conducted no investigation before broadcasting the false allegations, though it easily could have done so," the lawsuit read, adding that the network did not reach out to Combs' representatives for comment before airing the segment as quoted by People. The lawsuit further alleged that the defendants have each profited from their allegations against Combs. With Burgess making money "from his fake Kim Porter memoir," and Mitchell "promoting] herself in the media" as she makes the allegations against the rapper, the lawsuit alleges of their financial gain. It alleges that NewsNation's airing of Mitchell and Burgess' allegations has increased the number of viewers for the network. "Defendants made these false and defamatory statements in bad faith, as part of a deliberate effort to damage Mr Combs's reputation, undermine his business and, by painting him as debauched and a paedophile, to poison the public's perception of him and deprive him of a fair trial," Combs' legal team said as quoted by People. Sean 'Diddy' Combs' is facing trials for sex trafficking, racketeering, and several other allegations of sexual assault. (ANI)
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