Correction: Burgess was not in possession of the alleged tapes.
Just days ago, a grand jury witness testified on some damning information regarding Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex trafficking case. Despite the witness having sworn to testify truthfully, Combs’ attorneys claim his statements were nothing short of a fib.
Courtney Burgess was called as a court witness to testify before a grand jury Thursday, Nov. 1. During his testimony, he claimed he saw eight of Combs’ alleged sex tapes. In the tapes Burgess claims are eight celebrities — two women and six men — who participated in sexual acts. Burgess testified that two or three of the individuals appeared to be minors. He said all of them also appeared to be under the influence and he characterized them to be victims.
He also alleged Combs’ ex-wife Kim Porter handed him 11 flash drives for safe keeping prior to her sudden death in 2018.
The testimony was a result of Burgess being contacted by Department of Homeland Security agents and placed under subpoena, he told NewsNation. According to TMZ, the subpoena also allegedly ordered him to turn over all of the materials he had depicting Combs. It’s unclear if this exchange has occurred yet.
The claims of these sex tapes comes after attorney Ariel Mitchell-Kidd, who represents Burgess, told NewsNation last month she was made aware of an auction between media outlets of a sex tape allegedly including Combs and an underaged celebrity. The claims also come after Combs’ attorneys made several fillings to the court accusing DHS agents of leaking information on Combs’ case to the media and requesting they be placed on a gag order.
Here’s what they had to say in response to Burgess’ statements:
These stories have spread rapidly through the media and created the impression that such videos exist, which is false, and that the government is actually crediting his sensational claims, which is profoundly prejudicial. While the witness and his attorney eagerly spread false and unchecked claims in the media, they have avoided subjecting their claims to verification through the legal process. For instance, the witness and his lawyer admitted that he resisted complying with the grand jury subpoena and only appeared after the Marshals tracked him down.
And, when directly asked if they had the videos to back up their outlandish claims, the attorney responded: “that’s what we’re going to head over to do now. So we’re having a hearing now to determine what we’re going to do in terms of what documents we will have to turn over and what documents we do not.” By treating these ridiculous claims as anything but a pathetic extortion scheme, the government is fueling the fire of online conspiracy theories and making it impossible for Mr. Combs to have a fair trial.
On Monday, Sept. 16, the 54-year-old rap mogul was arrested in Manhattan by federal authorities, six months after they raided his two homes in Los Angeles and Miami. His indictment was unsealed the following morning, revealing charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and engaging in interstate transportation for prostitution. The allegations against Combs include sexual abuse, physical abuse, bribery and various drug offenses.
The most notable claims stem from his so-called “freak off” sex parties, where prosecutors allege women and men were drugged and forced to perform sexual acts at Combs’ pleasure. He was also accused of using video footage to blackmail the victims into compliance.
While many of the suits since 2023 have been civil, this federal case has Combs facing criminal charges. He has pleaded not guilty, and was denied bail. His trial is scheduled for May 2025.