Diddy, real name Sean Combs, has issued a damning statement from jail after it was reported that 120 alleged victims are set to come forward with accusations of sexual assault.
The alleged victims are set to file lawsuits, which reportedly span over 25 years and include men and women that were underage at the time of the alleged incidents.
Diddy is one of the most well-known figures in the music industry, making his name in hip-hop and founding Bad Boy Records in 1993.
The 54-year-old has now viciously denied claims of those who have accused him of these crimes.
Diddy was arrested and charged last month (Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images for Sean “Diddy” Combs )
According to Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, lawsuits are expected to be filed within the next month, mostly in New York and Los Angeles.
He revealed that the alleged victims were split 50/50 between males and females, while 25 of them were said to be minors at the time – one alleged that he was just nine years old.
The attorney said that over 3,280 individuals got in touch with his firm with claims that they were victimised by Combs, as the firm decided to represent 120 of them.
Some have reportedly spoken to the FBI while other claims are being reviewed, though the individuals represented come from more than 25 states across the US.
Combs has been held behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn since pleading not guilty last month after being charged with racketeering, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The music executive has been denied bail twice.
He has denied the allegations against him (GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
Following news that 120 alleged victims will be coming forward, an attorney for Combs told LADbible Group on Tuesday night (1 October): “As Mr. Combs’ legal team has emphasised, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus. That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors. He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”
Buzzbee detailed that the alleged abuse took place in California, Florida and New York.
(DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images)
The Houston attorney also revealed that the alleged actions happened at auditions where ‘many times, especially young people, people wanting to break into the industry were coerced into this type of conduct in the promise of being made a star’.
Speaking at a news conference, he further stated: “This type of sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation should never happen in the United States or anywhere else. This should have never been allowed to go on for so long,
“This conduct has created a mass of individuals who are injured, scared and scarred.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
