Sean “Diddy” Combs has lost a legal fight over a documentary he said damaged his reputation.
A New York judge dismissed the disgraced music mogul’s defamation lawsuit against Peacock and its parent company, NBCUniversal, over the film Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy. Diddy had sought at least $100 million in damages, arguing the project promoted harmful claims about him.
In her ruling issued April 22, Judge Phaedra F. Perry-Bond said the documentary could not be blamed for any additional harm to Diddy’s public image.
“It is inconceivable,” she wrote, “as to how the documentary created additional damage to plaintiff’s reputation, which was already tarnished by the numerous lawsuits, domestic violence video, press coverage and a criminal indictment.”
The lawsuit challenged statements made by interview subjects in the film, including speculation surrounding the 2018 death of Kim Porter, Diddy’s former partner. His legal filing called those claims “deeply distressing, offensive, reckless and malicious.”
The judge noted that the documentary also included information disputing the speculation, including references to Porter’s autopsy findings.
Attorneys for NBCUniversal argued that the film presented multiple viewpoints, including responses from Diddy’s representatives. The court agreed, describing the documentary as “nuanced.”
“This is an important ruling that protects filmmakers and journalists by dismissing this meritless complaint,” said NBCUniversal attorney Theodore J. Boutrous Jr.
Diddy, who has denied allegations of sexual misconduct, is currently serving a federal sentence while appealing his conviction.
