Mother of embattled rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs has expressed her devastation and profound sadness over the allegations levelled against her son, labeling them as “lies”.
The rapper, known for hits like ‘I Need a Girl’ was arrested on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering last month, and is currently in police custody in a detention centre in Manhattan after his bail application was denied.
In a statement aimed at defending her son, Janice Small Combs said that even though her son had “made mistakes in the past, as we all have”, he is “not the monster they have painted him to be”.
According to her “It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies”.
Ms Small Comb’s lawyer, Natlie G Figgers, issued the statement and attributed it to her and the Combs family.
This announcement came five days after it was disclosed that Mr. Combs might be facing lawsuits from over 100 additional accusers, both male and female, for alleged sexual assault, rape, and sexual exploitation.
Diddy’s lawyer has denied these and other previous charges against him, calling them “false and defamatory”.
He has battled several cases since last year after his ex-partner Cassie Ventura accused him of rape and abuse.
The case was settled out of court the day after it was filed, following Diddy’s denial of the allegations
He however was later dragged to court by 12 other women, many of whom accused him of drugging and assaulting them.
In March, federal agents conducted raids on his properties as authorities worked to build a criminal case against the celebrity.
Subsequently, in May, Diddy was seen in a leaked video to the press physically assaulting Ms Ventura in a hotel room way back in 2016.
Ms Small Combs referenced the video in her statement, indicating that she was “not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not”.
“My son may not have been entirely truthful about certain things, such as denying he has ever gotten violent with an ex-girlfriend when the hotel’s surveillance showed otherwise,” she added.
She continued by stating: “Sometimes, the truth and a lie become so closely intertwined that it becomes terrifying to admit one part of the story, especially when that truth is outside the norm or is too complicated to be believed.
“This is why I believe my son’s civil legal team opted to settle the ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit instead of contesting it until the end, resulting in a ricochet effect as the federal government used this decision against my son by interpreting it as an admission of guilt.”
Mr Combs had previously apologised for the incident that was caught on film, saying: “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”
Wrapping up her statement, Diddy’s mother argued that one lie did not make him guilty of all the other “repulsive allegations and the grave charges levelled against him.”
“It is truly agonizing to watch the world turn against my son so quickly and easily over lies and misconceptions, without ever hearing his side or affording him the opportunity to present his side,” she said, adding that she believed some of his accusers were motivated by money.
Mr. Combs is scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday, October 9, when his lawyers will advocate for his release on bail.
He was denied bail previously after prosecutors claimed he posed “a significant risk” to the upcoming trial.
They informed a New York judge that Mr. Combs had already tried to obstruct the government’s investigation into this case by repeatedly contacting victims and witnesses and providing them with false narratives about the events.
