‘Public Relations Stunt’: Diddy’s Accuser Lil Rod Slams Universal Music’s Attempt to Dismiss His Bombshell $30 Million Lawsuit After Feds Raid Mogul's Home
Diddy is at the center of a sex trafficking investigation out of New York. He has denied all allegations.
March 28 2024, Published 12:22 p.m. ET
The male music producer who sued Diddy for alleged sexual harassment blasted Universal Music’s move to be dismissed from his $30 million lawsuit.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, this week, Universal Music Group, the label’s CEO Lucian Grainge, and Motown Records blasted producer Lil Rod’s lawsuit.
Diddy denied all allegations in Lil Rod's bombshell lawsuit.
A lawyer for the label argued, “[Lil Rod] and his counsel have made criminal accusations against Sean Combs (“Combs”) and his associates. Whatever the truth or falsity of those accusations, without the slightest factual or legal basis … have also improperly accused Grainge, UMG Recordings and Motown assisting, participating in or helping to conceal the alleged conduct of Combs and his associates.”
In his lawsuit, Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones claimed he lived and traveled with Diddy from September 2022 to November 2023 while working on his latest album Love.
Footage from the raid on Diddy's Beverly Hills mansion.
In his suit, he said, “Throughout his time with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones witnessed, experienced, and endured many things that went far beyond his role as a Producer on the Love album.”
He said, “Mr. Combs required Mr. Jones to record him constantly. On several occasions, Mr. Combs took Mr. Jones cellphone and began recording himself. As a result, Mr. Jones has secured HUNDREDS of hours of footage and audio recordings of Mr. Combs, his staff, and his guests engaging in serious illegal activity.”
The scene outside Diddy's home during the raid.
Jones claimed he had evidence of Diddy’s team acquiring ecstasy, cocaine, GHB, ketamine, marijuana and mushrooms.
He claimed Diddy sexually harassed him during his employment. His lawsuit claimed, “Throughout his time living with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones was the victim of constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching of his anus by Mr. Combs.”
Jones claimed he “was forced by Mr. Combs to work in Mr. Combs' bathroom as Mr. Combs walked around naked and showered in a clear glass enclosure.”
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The suit claimed Jones told one of Diddy’s team members but was told “you know, Sean will be Sean.”
Diddy’s powerhouse lawyer Shawn Holley blasted Lil Rod’s claims.
Holley said, “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 billion lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines."
"We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them,” she added.
In the recent motion, Universal Music said Lil Rod made wild accusations against Universal’s CEO Grainge. The suit claimed Grainge was aware of Diddy’s alleged criminal behavior and did nothing.
Footage from the raid on Monday.
The motion said Grainge was never at Diddy’s home. UMG’s lawyer added, “UMG Defendants supposedly should have known that the payments made to Love Records under the license agreement were allegedly misused by Combs for his sex trafficking activity (although money is fungible, Combs, who Forbes reported was a billionaire in 2022, supposedly did not use his own money).”
UMG said the lawsuit was “so filled with knowingly false allegations.” Further, they added, “Grainge … had no knowledge, nor any way of knowing, of any such alleged activity and no duty to control Combs.”
The label argued it had a one-off deal with Diddy to release his album but did not have a partnership with him.
The label asked to be dismissed from the case.
In a letter written to the judge, obtained by RadarOnline.com, Lil Rod’s lawyer Tyrone Blackburn trashed UMG’s motion to dismiss claims. He said it was filed in “bad faith” and “nothing more than a Public Relations stunt by the Defendants.”
He claimed UMG had touted a partnership with Diddy BEFORE the scandal broke.
Diddy's legal drama started in November 2023 when his ex-girlfriend Cassie sued him.
He said, “Defendants are solely responsible for their public statements regarding their partnership with Mr. Combs. They did not have any issues marrying themselves to Mr. Combs when it was popular. Now, suddenly, after Ms. Cassie Ventura filed her lawsuit on November 16, 2023, they are treating Mr. Combs like he has the plague, and they are trying desperately to rewrite history despite what is PRESENTLY on their websites.”
Blackburn accused Universal Music of filing their motion in bad faith to “distance themselves from their business partners recent run-in-with the law.”
He added, “This motion was only filed to distract from the fact that the defendants’ business partner, Sean Combs’ homes in Los Angeles, California, and Miami, Florida, were both raided on March 25, 2024, by the Department of Homeland Security. Defendants are desperate to try and rewrite history. However, the facts will show that they gave him unfettered access to financial resources, did not have proper oversight and accounting for how the money was being used, and were his partners, despite what they are saying now.”
A judge has yet to rule. Diddy has yet to respond to the lawsuit.