As federal prosecutors pursue sex trafficking and extortion cases against Sean “Diddy” Combs, enterprising personal injury attorneys are filing more and more civil lawsuits against the music mogul. More than a dozen anonymous complaints – many made by individuals who say they were victimized when they were minors, including a 10-year-old boy – reveal decades of sexual abuse. Alleges sexual assault and rape. Combs issued a sweeping denial, dismissing the “sickening” declaration that he was motivated by an “early payday.”
But Tony Buzbee, who says he currently represents more than 150 Combs accusers through his eponymous Houston-based firm, says he’s just getting started. claim. “We plan to file a lawsuit each week against Mr. Combs and others as defendants, as we continue to gather evidence and prepare for presentation,” he said in a statement on Oct. 27.
Buzbee is a prominent figure in the Lone Star legal community and enjoys national recognition. More than a decade ago, the New York Times described him as “a great, mean, ambitious, tenacious, fiery Texas trial lawyer.” Locally, he is known for plowing $10 million of his own money into Houston’s unsuccessful mayoral race, and for buying a Sherman M4A4 tank he won at auction and parking it in front of his property in the ritzy River Oaks enclave next door. He is known for his criticism of owners associations.
He made his fortune by filing and often settling lawsuits against major gas companies, chemical companies, and trucking companies. Prior to Diddy’s lawsuit, he helped a sizable group of women reach an out-of-court agreement with NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson regarding allegations of sexual misconduct. In recent years, he has made headlines for defending former Gov. Rick Perry against accusations of abuse of office and for failing to defend Rebecca Grossman, a popular Los Angeles socialite convicted of second-degree murder. It has become.
Mr. Buzbee announced his legal campaign against Mr. Combs during an Oct. 1 press conference in a conference room in his 73rd-floor office near the top of the JPMorgan Chase Tower, the tallest building in Texas. talked about. Standing in front of a step-and-repeat with a hotline number printed on it that customers who suspect they may have been sexually assaulted can call, Mr. Buzbee promised: We find silent accomplices. We will expose the perpetrators who enabled this behavior behind closed doors. ”
He claimed that by then, his team had already been contacted by more than 3,000 people about Combs, and that a vetting process was underway by a task force that included former detectives from the Houston Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit.
The press conference, hotline and Buzbee-coordinated social media posts contradict claims on the firm’s website that state “we do not advertise litigation.” His office previously announced it was seeking potential claimants for Astroworld, the day after the deadly tragedy at a Travis Scott concert.
Buzbee provided details on the demographics of the group of Combs’ alleged accusers, which by his count totaled 120 people. He noted that more than 20 individuals were minors at the time of the alleged misconduct, and that the group’s gender breakdown was evenly split. He also said the accusers are primarily black and primarily from California, New York, Georgia and Florida, primarily states where the alleged misdeeds took place at parties, auditions, hotels and private residences. He said there is.
Buzbee explained that many of his new clients have evidence such as police reports, medical records, and other photos and videos to support their claims, and while each case is different, there is no clear evidence of xylazine or He explained that a pattern is emerging that includes the use of “trunks”. A sedative for horses. “We’re talking about this kind of behavior going on for more than 25 years,” he said, pushing back against skepticism about the scale of the accusers, citing “tremendous strength in numbers.” Many individuals were encouraged to come forward.
“Victims are usually lured into a situation where they are offered something to drink,” he said at a press conference. “These victims report that the drink is usually adulterated with something. Once the drink takes effect, the perpetrator performs all sorts of sexual acts on the victim and engages in other While a person watches and enjoys the show, they repeatedly stalk the victim, leaving them embarrassed, confused, hurt, and wondering what happened until the victim reaches out. and are told not to say anything. In some cases, there may be threats of physical violence, financial repercussions, or bodily harm.”
Buzbee’s firm is handling the case in conjunction with a California-based personal injury firm run by Andrew Van Arsdale, who has a history of pursuing sexual abuse cases against the Boy Scouts and the Mormon and Catholic churches. . (Arsdale recently solicited clients for the case against former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, who pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges on October 25 in New York federal court.)
Buzbee acknowledges that much of the public interest in the story goes beyond Combs and his victims, with other celebrities potentially exposed as direct accomplices or co-conspirators. “The day will come when you’ll name someone other than Sean Combs. And there are many names. It’s already a long list,” he promised.
Much of the work of lawyers like Buzbee, who declined to discuss Combs-related work with The Hollywood Reporter, is to negotiate secret out-of-court financial agreements with accusers and those who pay them. often consider it outrageous. Militant rhetoric in public as well as in private can be an important part of the strategy. “I’m talking about the people who participated, encouraged and supported,” he said on Oct. 1. I call them promoters of foul behavior and active participants in despicable acts. ” Buzbee added with a sense of foreboding. “There are countless people who are extremely nervous as we speak here.”
