As information of Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ arrest in New York Metropolis final week continues to seize headlines, a few of Hollywood’s elite are gaining undesirable consideration and scrutiny attributable to their latest and previous ties to the music mogul regardless of not being implicated in Diddy’s legal case.
Diddy was arrested and charged with racketeering conspiracy; intercourse trafficking by pressure, fraud or coercion; and transportation to interact in prostitution. He faces a minimal of 15 years behind bars and a most sentence of life in jail if discovered responsible.
Whereas some stars have spoken out, others — those that have been identified to have shut ties with Diddy — have remained quiet. Regardless of the fast hypothesis surrounding their silence, not addressing the noise is definitely “the most suitable choice,” based on Doug Eldridge, founding father of Achilles PR.
“In high-profile conditions like this, an informational vacuum creates a possibility for that void to be crammed with misinformation, pushed by inaccurate assumptions, usually primarily based on hypothesis and lack of concrete proof,” Elrdige instructed Fox Information Digital.
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”For these in Diddy’s circle — irrespective of how tangentially they could have been affiliated — it is guilt by affiliation; not less than within the courtroom of public opinion. Harmless or responsible are goal outcomes; truthful is a subjective sentiment that does not actually exist anymore.
Diddy has ties to many Hollywood elite, none of whom have been implicated in his legal case. (Getty photographs)
“A hearth requires oxygen to outlive; on this case, celebrities have to suppose twice about whether or not they need to blow on this flame and make it develop brighter,” Eldridge continued. “Proper now, there’s a twin consideration for celebrities who’re being related to Diddy — whether or not rightly or wrongly. The primary is their authorized legal responsibility and vulnerability; something they put out within the public sphere shall be admissible and related.
“The second goes extra towards the courtroom of public opinion; if there isn’t any foundation or validity to the hypothesis, then making an announcement or addressing it publicly solely serves to attract undue consideration and probably give unintended credence or legitimacy to in any other case baseless hypothesis,” he continued. “In different phrases, silence is typically the most suitable choice, particularly in our present ‘hearth hose’ media setting. Whereas the Diddy storyline is not going away anytime quickly, the person hypothesis ebbs and flows.”
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Although these stars are usually not implicated in Combs’ legal case, Eldridge stated “social media prosecutors” are rapidly “passing judgment,” which, in flip, is creating destructive buzz surrounding their model, profession and private lives.
“It is essential to keep in mind that Combs, like each American, enjoys a presumption of innocence, regardless of the nationwide sentiment or the severity of the allegations,” he stated. “This case continues to be a number of months from being tried in a courtroom of legislation. However, within the meantime, ‘social media prosecutors’ are taking the breadcrumbs and hypothesis and passing judgment within the proverbial courtroom of public opinion.
“That is much less an announcement about Diddy’s guilt, innocence or involvement, and extra a truth about human nature — particularly within the age of the web and social media,” he added. “It is a totally different world, and defendants now must struggle a battle (and current their case) on two fronts.”
TMZ PRESENTS: THE DOWNFALL OF DIDDY
This is a have a look at stars who’ve but to talk out who’ve gained undesirable scrutiny attributable to their previous ties to Diddy.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis
Ashton Kutcher and spouse Mila Kunis have lately been on the middle of break up rumors, which allegedly stemmed from Kutcher’s previous ties to Diddy. (Kutcher and Kunis are usually not implicated in Combs’ legal case.) (Getty Photographs)
Kutcher and Combs, who first met whereas internet hosting varied TV exhibits on MTV, have had a yearslong friendship.
The “That ‘70s Present” actor first bonded with Combs over their shared love of pranking folks. Throughout an look on “Sizzling Ones” in 2019, Kutcher was overwhelmed along with his reminiscences and could not decide one Diddy “celebration story” to share.
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“Wow, I’ve bought loads I am unable to inform. I am unable to inform that one both,” Kutcher stated. “Truly biking via them. … Our relationship is actually weird as a result of it began over ‘Punk’d’ trigger he’s like, ‘Yo, you possibly can’t punk me.’ I used to be like, ‘I don’t know what to let you know, all people’s on the desk,'” he stated.
Diddy apparently stated, “Not me, I am off the desk.”
Just lately, Kutcher and Kunis, who’ve been concerned in intercourse advocacy via their work with Thorn, a company that fights youngster intercourse trafficking and human trafficking, have been on the middle of break up rumors allegedly stemming from the actor’s previous ties to Diddy.
Kutcher attended Diddy’s notorious “white events.” (Jason Merritt/Getty Photographs/Getty Photographs for Blueflame)
“That is completely ridiculous and false,” a supply instructed Individuals journal of the hypothesis circulating on-line.
“Ashton has no involvement in any of this,” one other supply instructed the outlet. “He does not belong on this dialog about Diddy. Ashton has solely seen Diddy in a handful of social and enterprise occasions, all of which have been documented by the media.”
Kutcher and Kunis additionally caught warmth earlier this yr after writing letters of assist on behalf of Danny Masterson throughout his sexual assault trial, for which they issued a public apology.
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“We’re conscious of the ache that has been brought on by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,” Kutcher stated in a video posted on-line.
“We assist victims. We have now finished this traditionally via our work and can proceed to take action sooner or later,” Kunis added.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis issued an apology after their letters in assist of Danny Masterson have been launched. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Photographs)
“A few months in the past, Danny’s household reached out to us they usually requested us to write down character letters to symbolize the person who we knew for 25 years in order that the choose may take that into full consideration relative to the sentencing,” Kutcher stated.
“The letters weren’t written to query the legitimacy of the judicial system, or the validity of the jury’s ruling,” Kunis stated.
“They have been supposed for the choose to learn and to not undermine the testimony of the victims or re-traumatize them in any method,” Kutcher added. “We’d by no means need to do this, and we’re sorry if that has taken place.”
Representatives for Kutcher and Kunis didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
Usher
Diddy and Usher first met in 1994. (Usher shouldn’t be implicated in Combs’ legal case.) (Getty Photographs)
Usher and Diddy first met in 1994, after music govt LA Reid, who initially signed a 15-year-old Usher to his file label, despatched him to dwell with Diddy, who was about 9 years older.
Throughout an interview with Rolling Stone in 2004, Usher stated Diddy “launched me to a very totally different set of s—, intercourse, particularly. … There was all the time ladies round. You’d open a door and see anyone doing it, or a number of folks in a room having an orgy.”
Throughout an interview with Howard Stern in 2016, Usher admitted there have been “very curious issues going down” that he did not “perceive.”
“It was curious. I bought an opportunity to see some issues,” Usher stated. “I went there to see the approach to life, and I noticed it. And it was. … However I do not know if I may indulge and perceive what I used to be even taking a look at. It was fairly wild. It was loopy.”
Usher labored with Sean Combs (pictured in 2002) at first of his profession. (Kevin Mazur)
Whereas Usher and Diddy have been noticed embracing one another at varied public occasions all through the years, the “U Bought It Unhealthy” crooner has remained tight-lipped in the case of his relationship with Diddy today.
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Days after Diddy’s arrest, everything of the “Confessions” singer’s social media historical past disappeared from X.
“Account bought hacked and rattling y’all ran with it!” he wrote that day. “See you tonight at Intuit Dome.” He was referring to the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, the most recent cease on his Previous, Current, Future Tour.
A consultant for Usher didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
Justin Bieber
Diddy first met Bieber when the “Lonely” singer first began his profession. (Bieber shouldn’t be implicated in Combs’ legal case.) (Getty Photographs)
Diddy’s relationship with Justin Bieber dates to when the “What Do You Imply” singer first kick-started his profession at a younger age.
In a resurfaced 2009 video from Bieber’s YouTube channel, “Bieber’s 48 Hours with Diddy,” Diddy tells the digicam, “The place we’re hanging out and what we’re doing, we are able to’t actually disclose, however it’s positively a 15-year-old’s dream.”
In one other video one yr later, Diddy instructed the younger star, “You beginning to act totally different, huh? You ain’t been calling me and hanging out how we used to hang around.”
Throughout his late teenagers and early 20s, Bieber was usually noticed with Diddy at varied events.
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In 2019, the “Lonely” singer opened up about childhood fame and the difficulties he endured, together with habit and psychological well being struggles.
“I began doing fairly heavy medication at 19 and abused all my relationships,” he wrote on social media on the time. “I turned resentful, disrespectful to girls … hiding behind a shell of an individual that I had change into.
Diddy and Bieber have been noticed attending a number of events collectively all through the years. (Getty photographs)
“Have you ever seen the statistics of kid stars and the result of their life?” he added, explaining the stress on a creating youngster and having all the pieces handed to him.
“So, by this level, I used to be 18 with no abilities in the true world, with thousands and thousands of {dollars} and entry to no matter I needed,” Bieber stated. “This can be a very scary idea for anybody. I felt like I may by no means flip it round. It is taken me years to bounce again from all these horrible selections, repair damaged relationships and alter relationship habits.
“Fortunately, God blessed me with extraordinary individuals who love me for me,” Beiber stated, including that the “greatest season” of his life, marriage, is instructing him “endurance, belief, dedication, kindness, humility and all the issues it appears to be like prefer to be an excellent man.”
A consultant for Bieber didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé
Diddy, Jay-Z and Beyoncé have all supported one another all through the years. (Jay-Z and Beyoncé are usually not implicated in Combs’ legal case.) (Getty Photographs)
Diddy, Jay-Z and Beyoncé all rose to fame within the ’90s with their respective careers.
They’ve usually supported one another all through the years and have been noticed at varied events collectively.
In 1997, Jay-Z and Diddy collaborated on a observe, which was featured on Combs’ debut studio album, “No Manner Out.”
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Throughout a 2015 look on “Sway within the Morning,” Combs mentioned his future plans to enter enterprise with Jay-Z.
“Me and Jay — we’ve talked about it. We stated we need to decide the perfect one,” he stated, by way of Vibe. “It’s going to must be that one factor that will get all of it the best way popping. I believe that’s the one method we’ll have the ability to get true financial energy. If we do extra issues collectively. That’s the following degree for Hip Hop.”
Representatives for Jay-Z and Beyoncé didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
Jennifer Lopez
Lopez and Diddy dated from 1999 to 2001. (Lopez shouldn’t be implicated in Combs’ legal case.) (Getty Photographs)
Combs dated Jennifer Lopez from 1999 to 2001 throughout certainly one of his breaks from Kim Porter however referred to as it quits attributable to his alleged infidelity.
In 2003, Lopez spoke concerning the breakup to Vibe, telling the outlet, “It was the primary time I used to be with somebody who wasn’t trustworthy. I used to be on this relationship with Puff [Combs] the place I used to be completely crying, loopy and going nuts. It actually took my complete life in a tailspin.
“I by no means caught him, however I simply knew. He’d say he was going to a membership for a few hours after which by no means come again that night time.”
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Lopez, together with Diddy and former rapper Shyne, was current throughout a 1999 membership taking pictures that wounded three folks.
Lopez, Combs and his bodyguard, Anthony “Wolf” Jones, fled in his Lincoln and have been later pulled over by the NYPD for working a pink mild.
A gun was discovered within the automobile, and Lopez and Diddy have been arrested. Lopez was let go, however Diddy, Jones and Shyne have been every charged with a number of offenses. Diddy and Jones have been each discovered not responsible at trial, whereas Shyne was convicted on 5 of eight counts and was sentenced to 10 years in jail.
The previous couple reunited in 2018. (Getty Photographs)
Lopez and Diddy reunited on the after-party of her Las Vegas residency in 2018.
A consultant for Lopez didn’t instantly reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
The music mogul was charged with racketeering conspiracy; intercourse trafficking by pressure, fraud or coercion; and transportation to interact in prostitution. He faces a minimal of 15 years behind bars and a most sentence of life in jail if discovered responsible.
Combs appeared in Manhattan federal courtroom, the place he pleaded not responsible. Not solely was Combs denied the proposed $50 million bail, he was despatched to jail instantly after the listening to.
He has been positioned on routine suicide watch as he awaits trial in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Heart, a supply beforehand instructed Fox Information Digital.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was indicted on racketeering and intercourse trafficking prices. (Shayan Asgharnia)
The supply added that “that is frequent observe for high-profile people as they’re admitted to a federal facility and never indicative of his psychological state.”
Previous to the U.S. Lawyer’s press convention final week, Combs’ legal professional stated they plan to struggle for the rapper to be launched.
“His spirits are good. He is assured,” Combs’ legal professional, Marc Agnifilo, stated outdoors the courthouse Sept. 17. “He’s coping with this head-on, the best way he is handled each problem in his life. And he isn’t responsible. He is harmless of those prices. He’ll plead not responsible, clearly. He’ll struggle this with all of his vitality and all of his would possibly and the complete confidence of his attorneys. And I anticipate a protracted battle with an excellent end result for Mr. Combs.
“I’ll struggle like hell to get him launched, and he needs to be launched,” Agnifilo added. “With all that he is finished and coming right here voluntarily.”
