Now, Deshawn Diddy Combmes looking to suppress evidence in his federal trial. Senior investigative correspondent Eric Kurski is back with the story. Good morning again, Erin.
And to you, Michael. You'll remember federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations were hardly shy when they raided Shawn Colmes's opulent homes in Los Angeles and Miami, guns drawn. The jailed music mogul now argues those searches and other searches of his iCloud accounts, electronic devices, and New York City hotel room following his arrest were unconstitutional.
His lawyers argue evidence obtained through those searches must be suppressed. Diddy's lawyers say the government presented a grossly distorted picture of reality when applying for the search warrants, omitting certain facts and including salacious details from an unnamed producer that were never credible. Colmes has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and prosecution charges.
The defense is also arguing here his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura was a willing participant in drugfueled sex performances called freakoffs not coerced as prosecutors alleged is set to take the stand against Diddy in the highstakes trial this May and the pressure is clearly mounting with just weeks to go Diddy's legal team is now working hard to contest the evidence seized during the mansion raids showing just how serious the situation has become I don't sleep to this I have a problem sleeping till this day. Like, yo, man, I'm here to work, man. I ain't sang in a week.
I mean, I'm 13 years old. And I'm telling him, look, you going to put me in the studio, man. You got Biggie Smalls in there.
You got Craig Mack in there. I'm not here to party with you. I don't want to go to the clubs.
I'm matter of fact, I'm too young to even be in here. Why you got me in clubs? We would fight.
We would tussle. I moved to New York City and I lived with Sean Puffy Combmes for a year. That's the crazy thing.
Now, that was LA Reed's idea, right? We're sending you over to something called Puffy Flavor Camp. There you go.
To learn some flavor camp. That's what it was called. And you're going to go to Puff Daddy's.
He's in the '9s. Do you understand what that's like? Puffy's place was like just filled with chicks and like non-stop, right?
No, not really. I mean, but there Hey, it was curious. I got a chance to see some things.
Yeah, but you were 13. What were you saying? went there to see the lifestyle and I saw it and it was and it was but I don't know if I could indulge and understand what I was even looking at.
It was it was pretty wild. It was so nobody tried to you know some woman didn't come along. I don't say that.
Okay. What I did say is that there were very curious things taking place and I didn't necessarily understand it. Biggie Smalls was there.
Biggie Smalls was there. Lil Kim Craig Mack all these people are hanging around. Yeah, man.
Faith Evans, Joey, Mary J. Blah. They ain't know nothing about this Oh, I was having a good time.
You know what I mean? Does he have you doing any chores? Are you doing dishes at all?
I mean, to keep you humble somewhat or are you just like, can you stay up till 4 in the morning with them and party? I mean, I could I actually stayed up longer than them. And And what do you have money?
What's going on? I mean, I had like perm I had like, you know, like a little Yeah, it's pretty crazy. 14 years old.
You're a dad now. Would you ever send your kid to Puffy Camp? Hell no.
Usher and Diddy have a long history, over 30 years of so-called friendship. Usher was just a teenager when his mother sent him to live with Diddy, hoping he'd help launch his career. However, Usher now claims that he was thrust into a world that he wasn't prepared for, exposed to situations that he couldn't process at such a young age.
Usher is now speaking out about his experiences, revealing the longlasting impact they had on him. Well, some documents have leaked about Usher. They were obtained by Radar online and apparently back in 2009 or 2010, he had contracted herpes and passed it on to a celebrity stylist having unprotected sex with her.
He had to pay $1. 1 million to that woman for severe emotional distress and he also covered her medical bills. That case was settled back in 2012.
Now, allegedly, there was a greenish discharge from his penis. Wa! That's a booger.
Get penis boogers. I didn't know. But they said he said he went to the doctor.
He was cleared of any STDs. So the women went on and continued. Now if I notice a greenishness discharge oozing out of his Exactly.
This ain't Nickelodeon. I ain't slime. What you going to say?
I know all these kids playing with slime nowadays, but no. I don't care who you are. Okay.
Nothing green supposed to be coming out your penis. Not at all. That's not how this works.
Yellow comes out my penis and white. Diddy and Usher's relationship has been complex with Usher opening up about the struggles he faced in the entertainment industry. In 2018, Usher dealt with a high-profile lawsuit settling for $1.
1 million. He's also been at the center of various rumors and claims about his personal life, some of which have further complicated his public image. We made love.
Who made love with Denny B wild? Um, Buster Arms. You just told me you see Buster in the airport, too.
That trying to act like he didn't know you. You smash Drke. Uh, no.
I never smashed. Oh, you made love to Drke. And And um uh C Williams.
Uh what's his name? Uh what's his name? Uh uh uh.
Bro, you smashing a lot of people. Uh what's that name? Uh Terence Howard.
Terren. Terrence Howard. Uh Terence Howard.
Um Usher. Usher's a Gusher. We want to thank you.
Come here. Don't don't sit on the bed or nothing. No homo.
No, just just don't get close to the bed. Don't get close. But it's just like, yo, we want to thank you for hosting the thing, man.
Man, it's been a pleasure. You didn't have to do it. You did.
No, no, I definitely didn't have to do it. I I definitely didn't have to. Uh, first and foremost, I'm not getting the bed.
Uh, you know, shouts out to him and what he did. I'm just going to if we can just let's let's just put the camera a little this way just so we're not I don't want my shot to even res like I don't want it to come close to the bed at all. I I should look like he fresh off a goddamn plane.
I should I should I should fresh off the guard stage. That's my brother right here from day one. We used to wake up and I mean damn paws.
But like just how I mean I mean back in the days when he was like 10 and I was a little bit older. His older brother. We used to fight over the over the frosted flakes.
You know what I'm saying? Before paws was invented. You know what I'm saying?
But it's my brother for real. We used to actually wrestle off of the off of the frosted place because he used to always get up early with me. Now he A troubling image from one of Diddy's infamous parties has surfaced showing Usher in a chaotic environment.
The question now is whether the lifestyle he was exposed to impacted his well-being. Usher has spoken about the difficulties he faced navigating this environment. His name is Scooter Braun.
Uh flown flown out to Atlanta um just to meet with him and meet different producers and different uh different people. I was actually going to meet Germaine Dr at his studio. Um, and who who rolls up?
Usher and his roll and his uh in his um Range Rover rolls up and I was like, "Is that who I think it is? " And Scooter was like, "Yeah. " And so I ran up to him.
I was like, "Usher, Usher, I love your songs. You want me to sing you one? " And he was like, "Um, let's just go inside, little buddy.
It's cold out. " So the plightest possible way he could say no, he did. And I was like, "Wow, he just turned me down.
" And I was a little disappointed. He had to go into a studio session. So, I was like, "Whatever.
" And uh a week later, he actually watched my videos um with my manager and was like, "Oh my gosh, why didn't I let him sing? " So, flew me back to Atlanta where I got to meet him again. And uh he wanted to sign me.
Um but there was something else. Justin Timberlake, right? Yes.
Justin Timberlake um also wanted to sign me. Uh, it was like kind of like what happened was Justin Timberlake and Usher both went into a ring and boxed it out and the outcome was Usher. I think was it TKO?
I ain't mean to stop you like that, but this is only a tease. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing to you Island Dev recording artist Justin Bieber is getting ready to go down. Just so you know, we're in the studio right now working on it.
Get ready because it's going to be big. Ain't that right, Justin? That's right.
That's right. So, look out. We're coming.
Usher's rise to fame took off after he teamed up with Diddy. But success came with challenges. Usher had to make significant sacrifices in his career.
Sometimes putting others ahead of himself. Behind the scenes, business deals were made that shaped the futures of other young stars. You get career.
Do you know Raymond Usher? No. Do you know an individual entertainer by the name of Usher?
Yeah, Usher. That sounds familiar. Isn't it true that Usher is was instrumental in starting your career?
What does that have to do with this litigation, Mr Dow? This is just you trying to harass the client. Before we came back here, you would ask me.
She's going to let her read back the question. Thank you for your memory card. Is it true that I was found on YouTube?
I think that I was detrimental to my uncle. Justin Bieber later shared how his experience with Usher shaped parts of his life, suggesting that their relationship didn't always lead to positive outcomes. What was once seen as mentorship now appears to have been more complicated leading to struggles for both.
Met Justin Bieber. This kid comes up to you. He's not Justin Bieber yet.
He's just some kid. And he says, "I want to sing for you. " It was at the studio of Jermaine Dr.
I said, you know, why don't you set up a meeting between me and your manager? I'd love to meet with you and do this in a formal setting. I'm late for an appointment with Jermaine DRI and I don't want to keep him waiting.
Let's just do this the right way. And then you have him come to audition for you, right? Actually, it were a few people.
Um, my wife at the time, right? It also was um Perry Reed, LA Reed's first wife. We were So, you're all sitting in a room.
We were in a room. Yeah. And I showed her the video.
And Perry says, "Are you crazy? You better get down there and meet this kid right now. He's amazing.
" When all these pecs come out and all this stuff with Bieber's big penis, are you the mastermind behind that? Say, "Listen, show off your big penis. " and people come to those concerts or are you sitting?
Are you sitting down with him and saying, "Yeah, show your or leave it in your pants. " I mean, do you sit him down and say, "Look, part of this is PR, right? " Hey, by the way, some He does have a brain of his own.
Yeah, but were you shocked at the size of his penis? Hey, listen. He has a mind of his own.
What he chose to do with his penis is his prerogative. He's managing that aspect of his life. But Usher is somebody nothing to do with Justin Bieber's Justin Bieber and Usher's relationship has since changed with Justin distancing himself from Usher.
Justin has openly talked about how certain events in his life including his connection to Usher impacted him deeply. To show you this montage. This is a montage that was shared by Eevee magazine.
They do great work um on their Tik Tok of Justin Bieber again just 15 years old in Hollywood surrounded by a bunch of adults. Can you let me know if any of this registers to you as normal? Take a listen.
[Applause] Wow. I feel violated right now. Wow.
Lean into me again. You smell amazing. How old are you?
Uh, thank you. How old are you? I'm 16.
I'll be 17 in like 2 weeks. I don't ever remember smelling that good at 16. Like I was that was bad.
Yeah. Wow. Look at your eyes.
Um look at what a beautiful place. All right. The relationship between Usher and Justin has raised questions, particularly surrounding the support Usher could have offered at a crucial time.
There's speculation about why Justin hasn't spoken out on some of the past events, especially in relation to his earlier career and personal life. Get to be for a minute and his management was backing him off. But it wasn't until Usher took over management and had guardianship and gave temporary guardianship to the Diddler for 48 hours.
Think about that. He had already been to the hospital, that situation that Jean was talking about. And you still took Bieber there, but you got custody of him first.
Diddy had already tried. They wouldn't let him. Actually, someone made reference to the fact that Diddy trying to get it Bieber the way he was trying to get it Bieber was looking a little predatory.
And then Usher came in and discovered it and managed him and got custody of him and promised to look after him. And then he sent him to the diddlla. Does that sound like a good guy?
Does that sound like a good guy now that we know what didd he's really like? They're not seeing what the intentions was in his heart when he took Justin Bieber there. Let's be honest.
He took Justin Bieber there. Justin Bieber has shown increasing distance from both Usher and Diddy. even turning down major opportunities such as performing together at the 2023 Super Bowl.
This speaks volumes about the current state of their relationship. Bieber, Justin Bieber is continuing the purge. He has now moved to unfollow Usher, okay, his original mentor.
So, this is a very big story. And the reason why we should discuss this and we should not diminish what what is happening. It's not celebrity drama.
This is actually the fall of Babylon that we are witnessing. Hollywood Babylon that is something happened in the background and people started noticing some things last year in 2024. You guys will remember that Usher was tapped to perform at the Super Bowl and people therefore assumed because usually when you are tapped to perform at the Super Bowl, you bring in all your hits.
You call up all your homies. There's all these guest surprises of people jumping on stage and it's a trip down memory lane. So, everyone was really hyped and assuming that Justin Bieber would be on the stage with him, especially because Justin Bieber went to the Super Bowl.
So, the signs were there, but then news began breaking that actually no, Justin Bieber had snubbed him, that he had turned down Usher. People were wondering if this was true or just, you know, usual rumor mill in the media. But then Usher confirmed it on the Breakfast Club.
Kind of seemed like he was trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal that here I am the mentor and he turned me down. Here is what Usher said, explaining that on the Breakfast Club. It it might have been the fact that he was just, you know, wanting to to tell a different story right now and I understand that.
Um, but we we did have a brief conversation and um, you know, we going to do something else in the future and but there no love lost or anything like that. I think that it's a lot of pressure for the Super Bowl obviously for me to put together a show. So, I reached out to everybody.
Justin wasn't the only person that I actually spoke to about doing the Super Bowl. Um, but the moment was maybe for later. But Usher says we shouldn't count Justin out as a future halftime headliner.
He's gonna play the Super Bowl. I I'll go ahead and give you that in the future. I I profess that over his life and over his time because he he has a career that deserves it.
Um, but it just didn't happen. But that doesn't mean it's not. There have been reports that some insiders knew about the negative aspects of Diddy's behavior but chose not to intervene.
These accounts suggest that there were attempts to cover up certain incidents. You going to give him a pass, bro? You know, I know.
Let me let me reframe you on something. Remember Usher? We was at the Swiss hotel.
Puff was had Kim in the room. had one of Keith Sweat's baby mothers in the in in the uh the big room outside the master bedroom. He came outside in this road.
He came outside in this road. She gave him a fio right there. His back was turned to me.
She gave him a file. You knocked on the door. I came and opened the door for you.
Puff went in the room. You came in the room and kissed that girl dead in her mouth. Now, I'm telling that because you taking enough of somebody that you know and a lot of more people know didn't do you right when you was at Diddy Camp.
You mentioned uh minors, you know, and a lot of people have been trying to drag Justin Bieber into this situation because there's a lot of like suspect looking videos with Diddy and Bieber in it. And you know, they're making a lot of allegations. Mhm.
Same way they made allegations about Usher when Usha was younger. I mean, do you think that there's any uh credibility to these allegations? When there's smoke, there's fire.
Why would Diddy be tapping this kid in his chest to see if he wired? And asking him, "Are you wired? " Why would he be confronting that kid?
Why would Justin Bieber make a song about what is it? I got smashed at a diddy party or something like that. Why?
There's reasons behind all this. So where there smoke, that's fire. Cam, I wouldn't put it past him.
Yeah, Justin, he's been real quiet about this. I mean, I think like a lot of the other celebrities. I was I was reading some Cam and the kids say after he went to Diddy camp, he started using drugs so heavy and was smashed every day.
What would cause a kid who wanted to be an artist in a music business all of a sudden to start getting high and drinking and drugging, popping pills and smoking? What would cause a kid to do that? I mean, usually trauma or a diddy party.
If you don't mind me asking, cuz I know the topic is sensitive. What happened to Usher? I heard about some music executive from the industry back in Harlem.
You know, I heard it from some music executives back in Harlem. And I'm not going to speak on their name. They doing uh programs and everything like that.
And they may be doing some of them. They may speak on it theirel, but I heard it from some music executives. What did you hear, bro?
You know, you know how people be talking and we was around some people, something like that, and then some people might say, "Yo, I don't f with that dude. " And at the time, I didn't know who the f Usher was. You know what I'm saying?
It was one of those type of situations and was probably say, "Yo, man, I don't f with them I'm getting out that industry and everything like that. " You know, you know Puff sent this little kid to the hospital. How he sent her to the hospital, man.
was bleeding from the butt and that's what was said. But I didn't even have a name for the kid at the time. Then you heard it and that's what As evidence against Diddy continues to surface, his legal team is facing challenges.
One of New York's top lawyers recently filed to resign, citing a growing rift. This indicates just how significant the fallout has become. It's a difficult circumstance.
Um, he's making the best of the situation. A situation one of Diddy's attorneys won't be part of moving forward. Anthony Rico announcing in court docs.
Under no circumstances can he continue defending the embattled rapper. This is a serious proceeding with serious consequences and all of us are addressing it accordingly. In a motion filed on Thursday, Rico stopped short of revealing why he's stepping down from Diddy's legal team.
Just months ahead of the music mogul scheduled trial date in May for sex traffing and racketeering charges, all of which Diddy's denied. You know, Dr King called it the law of unintended consequences. So sometimes the more you push a person down, the stronger they get.
That's Rico speaking up late last year for his now former client. ETS learned the attorney's exit will not affect Denny's other attorneys, nor their defense strategy. I told Mr Combmes, um, I'm going to try and get his case to trial as quickly as possible.
He has been ready to defend this case since he first found out about this case. Nothing has changed from his perspective. You going to hear about my party.
They're going to be shutting him down. They going to probably be arresting me. After Diddy was arrested, Rico said he provided a high level of legal representation.
But now, for reasons unknown, he can under no circumstances effectively serve in the upcoming trial. Nobody's okay with staying in jail for now. And high-profile death penalty attorney Anthony Rico.
Now, while the pair joined around the same time, Anthony in a court filing on Friday said he's leaving the case. In the filing, Anthony Rico said, quote, "For the reasons set forth below, this motion for withdrawals is filed so that Shawn Combmes may move forward with his defense and to commence jury selection and trial without any delay. " As a result of discussion with lead council Mark Agnifo, this motion for withdrawal of counsel is filed.
While I am aware that the local rule requires an application for withdrawal of council is supported and granted, there are sufficient reasons related to protections afforded by the attorney client privilege for brevity in my application for withdrawal as counsel in this case. Although I have provided Shawn Combmes with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Shawn Combmes. End quote.
Now, essentially in legal ease, I quit, but I can't go into details because of attorney client privilege. According to the filing, though, the defense shakeup won't delay the case. Diddy will continue with five attorneys.
That's Mark Agnif, Tenny Garagos, Alexander Shapiro, Jason A. Drscoll, and Anna Estaval. Now, a judge still has to sign off on the motion, but with the government taking no position on it and the fact Anthony Rico spoke with Mark Adnolo about it before filing the motion, a judge will likely sign off.
What's behind the pressure Diddy's facing with top attorneys stepping away from the case? Some wonder if it's related to the evidence Diddy is trying to suppress. It seems like things are escalating quickly and Diddy's legal support is beginning to crumble of Grubman Shales and Sachs has dropped Combmes as a client.
Now, this is the firm of Alan Grubman who is a very prominent entertainment lawyer that represents some very big names. The Weekend, Madonna, Chris Brown, Paul Simon, Usher, Bruce Springsteen. In fact, by the way, Alan Grubman was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
He actually helped found that back in the 1980s. So, gives you an idea about how big of a powerhouse this firm is. Now, let's go back to Shawn Combmes.
So, the rumors circulating is that this firm did this because singer and actress Lady Gaga had threatened to leave the firm unless they parted ways with Combmes. This is according to reporting by NewsNation. And it's a big deal because the rapper and producer had apparently been with Grubman's firm for over 20 years.
He was friends with Alan Grubman by all accounts. [Music] Diddy's attorneys have been pushing for the dismissal of certain allegations, claiming they're motivated by racial bias due to his success. However, this defense is unlikely to be effective, especially since his alleged victims come from diverse backgrounds.
The case appears to be more complex than just these claims. Asked the judge in his federal case to throw out one of the charges. He says he's being targeted because he's a black man and the charge is rooted in racism.
I look at Combmes's argument and his chances of success. Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anget Levy.
Shawn Diddy Combmes wants one of the counts in his federal superseding indictment thrown out. Combmes argues he's basically being singled out by federal prosecutors because of his race and his success in business. Diddy's defense seems to be gearing up toward his alleged criminal conduct wasn't criminal.
It was his personal business of what was going on in his bedrooms or hotels or wherever the freakoffs occurred. So they're saying that count three wasn't transportation to engage in prostitution, but was just him using escorts, male escorts at that, to bring in as a third with his girlfriends. Whereas the government's theory of the case is did he use force, fraud, and coercion to make his alleged victims have sex against their will in his freakoffs that he recorded for his own pleasure.
Now, did he pleaded not guilty to all his charges, hence why the case is Hollywood has long kept its darker troops hidden, but now the truth is beginning to emerge. The real question is, will Diddy face the consequences of his actions or will he avoid them once again? What do you think Usher's testimony will mean for Diddy's future?
And why do you think Justin has remained silent? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications to stay updated.
Thanks for watching, and I'll catch you in the next one.
