A defamation case brought by Sean “Diddy” Combs has been cleared to continue, even as the music mogul fights it from behind bars.
The ruling came after attorney Ariel Mitchell sought to have the case dismissed. The judge declined, finding that claims Diddy assaulted people and secretly recorded partners carried “precise meanings that are readily understood,” according to TMZ.
Mitchell represents Courtney Burgess, who has claimed that Diddy possesses recordings of him assaulting celebrities and minors. Diddy denies the allegation and has accused Mitchell and Burgess of spreading “outlandish claims,” “baseless speculation” and “wild lies.” The damages he is seeking have doubled since the lawsuit was originally filed, and now stand at $100 million.
Mitchell has previously told TMZ that she plans to countersue and seek punishment against Diddy and the lawyers who filed the case. The legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of Diddy’s criminal conviction: in 2025, he was found guilty on two counts of transporting people across state lines for prostitution, and acquitted of sex trafficking and RICO charges. His current prison release date is set for February 5, 2028.
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