Tony Buzbee, an attorney representing 120 people alleging sex crimes against Sean "Diddy" Combs, is going to file a lawsuit against the celebrity who accused him of "extortion."
Lawyers for an anonymous celebrity filed a lawsuit on Monday alleging Buzbee was trying to "extort exorbitant sums" from the celebrity in exchange for Buzbee not filing a public lawsuit against the celebrity.
Buzbee called the lawsuit "laughable" and said the demand letter is a common legal practice and was intended as an offer for confidential mediation before a lawsuit is filed.
Buzbee called the lawsuit against him an attempt to "intimidate or silence me," which he said he wouldn't allow to happen.
"Since our professional efforts at resolution obviously have failed, we will instead disclose the demand letters we sent at the time we file suit," Buzbee told Newsweek. "Abuse of the legal system unfortunately runs rampant. The lawsuit filed against my firm is a prime example of that. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. I have confidence that with full public disclosure all of this will sort itself out."
According to the complaint obtained by Newsweek, Buzbee's firm allegedly sent a demand letter earlier this month threatening to publicize "fabricated" allegations of sexual assault, including "multiple instances of rape of a minor, both male and female."
Attorneys for the anonymous celebrity, referred to as John Doe in the suit, contend that the accusations were presented to pressure their client into complying with the undisclosed demands.
The demand letter reportedly links Doe to Combs based on their mutual attendance at celebrity events, suggesting a friendship between the two. Doe's attorneys dismissed the claim, asserting that the connection was tenuous and fabricated.
"These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot to destroy Plaintiff's high-profile reputation for profit, despite the complete absence of any factual basis for such claims," the lawsuit states.
Doe's legal team emphasized that the allegations have no merit and are part of a broader effort to exploit the celebrity's public image. To protect his reputation and avoid "irreparable harm," Doe chose to file the lawsuit anonymously.
Combs, 55, is awaiting May trial in his sex trafficking case at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The disgraced mogul was arrested in September on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.
He is due back in court on Friday for a third attempt at getting out on bail.
Buzbee told Newsweek that he won't allow "the powerful and their high-dollar lawyers" to intimidate or silence sexual assault survivors. He criticized Doe's attorneys for allegedly calling TMZ after filing the lawsuit.
The demand letter didn't include a specific amount of money, according to Buzbee, and "no threats were made."
"The demand letters sent are no different than the ones routinely sent by lawyers across the country in all types of cases," Buzbee said.
On Tuesday, Buzbee announced on Instagram that his firm, along with co-counsel, filed five more lawsuits against Combs, alleging sexual assault, sexual abuse, and sexual exploitation.
Three of the alleged victims in these cases are male and two are female. Buzbee wrote in the caption that the alleged conduct happened as far back as 2001 in New York and Miami.
"We expect to be filing cases weekly naming Mr. Combs and others as defendants as we continue to gather evidence and prepare the filings," he added.
Newsweek has contacted representatives for Combs for comment.
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