Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing over 120 alleged victims of Sean “Diddy” Combs, has rejected extortion claims made by a prominent figure connected to the rapper.
The anonymous high-profile figure accused the attorney and his firm of threatening to file “entirely fabricated and malicious allegations of sexual assault” if he failed to comply with their demands.
The John Doe, who is seemingly linked to Diddy, also sued for “extortion and intentional infliction of emotional distress,” to which Buzbee has stated that the suit is without “merit and laughable.”
Article continues below advertisement
Diddy Accusers’ Lawyer Says He ‘Won’t Be Silenced Or Intimidated’ By Extortion Claims
In the wake of Diddy being arrested on sex crime charges, several civil lawsuits of sexual assault and rape allegations have popped up against him from alleged victims being represented by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee.
Several high-profile individuals have also been implicated, although the attorney has named none.
However, recently, one of the figures contacted by Buzbee filed a lawsuit against the attorney, claiming Buzbee attempted to extort him with false allegations related to supposed sexual assaults at Diddy’s parties.
In response, Buzbee has fired back, stating that he has no intention of backing down and remains committed to seeking justice for his clients.
“We won’t allow the powerful and their high-dollar lawyers to intimidate or silence sexual assault survivors,” he told TMZ.
Article continues below advertisement
He also described the lawsuit as “without merit and laughable, adding that it is an “abuse of the legal system.”
Article continues below advertisement
The Attorney Claims He Only Requested A Confidential Settlement For His Clients
In his response, Buzbee also clarified the nature of his initial contact with the high-profile individual accusing him of extortion.
Buzbee stated that contrary to the claims, he merely sent a “standard demand letter” to the individual’s attorney. According to him, the letter requested a “confidential settlement on behalf of two clients instead of a lawsuit.”
He also emphasized that the letter contained “no dollar figures and no threats,” suggesting it was merely an invitation to discuss the matter further to reach a mutual decision.
Buzbee later doubled down on his stance of not backing down, saying he is a “U.S. Marine” and won’t be “silenced or intimidated” and vowed to ensure the same for his clients.
Article continues below advertisement
The lawyer also hinted at escalating the matter by revealing the demand letters in an upcoming lawsuit. This move could potentially expose the identity of the high-profile person involved.
Article continues below advertisement
The High Profile Individual Claimed Diddy Accusers’ Lawyer Threatened To Smear His Name
Meanwhile, the high-profile figure had earlier claimed that Buzbee had threatened to hit him with “entirely fabricated and malicious allegations of sexual assault.”
They claimed that Buzbee cited “multiple incidents of rape of a minor, both male and female,” as part of his threats to force them to “comply with his demands.”
The individual alleged that this was not the first time Buzbee had made similar moves against A-listers and pointed to previous incidents involving Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus and football star Deshaun Watson as examples.
They further claimed that Buzbee set a strict deadline for responding to his demands, warning that he would file a lawsuit if mediation were not used to “resolve this delicate and important matter.”
The Lawyer Earlier Claimed Alleged Victims Settled With A ‘Handful’ Of Diddy’s Pals
Previously, Buzbee claimed that some of the individuals connected to the suits other than Diddy had started paying off victims to avoid being named in public.
“In every single case, especially cases like this … because it’s in the best interests of the victim, we attempt to resolve these matters without the filing of a public lawsuit, and we’ve done that already with a handful of individuals, many of which you’ve heard of before,” Buzbee said at the time, per TMZ.
The attorney also refrained from revealing how many people were implicated, explaining that his team wanted to “make sure if we name individuals beyond Mr Combs that we have done our homework because it is going to create a firestorm.”
Article continues below advertisement
Celebrities At The Alleged ‘Freak Off’ Parties Who Were Bystanders Are Also In Trouble
As for those who simply observed Diddy during his infamous “freak offs” but did not actively participate, Buzbee indicated that they, too, would face legal consequences.
The attorney remarked, “If you were there in the room, participated, watched it happen, and didn’t say anything or helped cover it up, in my view, you have a problem.”
In an interview for TMZ’s “The Downfall of Diddy: Inside the Freak-Offs,” the lawyer stated that stars who were at the “freak offs” and “knew somebody was being drugged” and yet “allowed it to happen” are just as “liable as the individual who shipped the person in” and “participated in this egregious conduct.”
Buzzbee added that these celebrities who were onlookers are “just as guilty as far as I’m concerned.”