Fact Check: Usher didn't testify in court against Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Usher testified against Sean "Diddy" Combs during his New York trial, on or prior to May 20, 2025.
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A rumor that circulated online in May 2025 claimed that eight-time Grammy-winning musician Usher testified in court against rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs during his New York trial.
However, as of May 20, Usher had not testified in court during Combs' trial. A YouTube user promoted this false rumor in a video generated with artificial intelligence (AI) that received millions of views. That video's text description included a disclaimer about the clip containing fictional content, although the part of the description containing the disclaimer was hidden by default and users who did not click "more" to expand the text could easily have missed it.
Snopes contacted by email the YouTube user who promoted this rumor, as well as representatives for Usher, and will update this story if we learn more information.
The false rumor about Usher testifying in court spread during Combs' trial in Manhattan federal court, just one day after singer Dawn Richard alleged during testimony that Usher witnessed a 2010 incident of Combs punching then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura "hard" at a West Hollywood, California, restaurant.
Combs faces charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, all centered on so-called "freak-off" parties — alleged sexual marathons involving drug use and coercion. Combs pleaded not guilty; if convicted, he faces a minimum prison sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison.
On May 20, a manager of the WhatIsMyStarWorth YouTube channel posted a video (archived) with the title, "1 MINUTE AGO: Usher Breaks Down in Court, Reveals What Diddy Did to Him at 14..." The video received nearly 3.5 million views as of this writing on May 21. Other users then shared the same rumor on Facebook (archived), TikTok (archived) and X (archived), as well as in other YouTube videos.
The video's thumbnail image displayed a fake "breaking news" chyron with AI-generated photos of Usher and Combs, including one photo of a young, clothed Usher appearing to lie in a bed next to a shirtless Combs. The image also the words "I was just 14 man...," which Usher purportedly said in court. The title and fake thumbnail image — one depicting a shirtless Combs and a bed — alluded to Combs supposedly engaging in sex with Usher when he was a minor.
The WhatIsMyStarWorth YouTube channel displayed this fake thumbnail image with their video. (Image courtesy of WhatIsMyStarWorth/YouTube)
The description under the video included a brief summary, as well as a disclaimer only visible if viewers clicked "more" to expand the text:
In an emotional and unexpected moment during the ongoing Diddy trial, Usher reportedly took the stand and broke down in tears, revealing a deeply personal and disturbing experience from his youth. According to sources close to the case, Usher claimed that something involving Sean "Diddy" Combs happened when he was just 14 years old—and what he shared has left the courtroom in shock.
In this video, we break down the details of Usher's alleged testimony, the courtroom's reaction, and what this means for the rapidly unfolding case. This could be a major turning point, not only legally, but in how the entertainment world views one of its most powerful figures.
Disclaimer: This content is fictional and for entertainment purposes only. No official court records or verified reports confirm these claims.
The WhatIsMyStarWorth channel's bio page featured a similar disclaimer reading, "DISCLAIMER: The content on this channel may contain gossip-based information, rumors, or exaggerated portrayals of reality. Please exercise your own discretion while watching and remember that not all information presented may be factual or verified."
The video also displayed an "altered or synthetic content" label referencing, at least in part, the clip's AI-generated voice narration. The same fake voice appeared under the name "Bill" on the ElevenLabs AI voice model website. The user who created the clip also possibly prompted an AI tool to handle the video's scripting and editing. Scans of the narrator's script with the AI text-detection websites Copyleaks, QuillBot and ZeroGPT produced differing results.
At the beginning of the video, the AI-voiced narrator says, "Before we begin, viewer discretion is strongly advised. The following is for educational and entertainment purposes only. This is the verbatim federal courtroom testimony of the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial, as reported by Inner City Press."
However, Inner City Press never reported on Usher testifying during the trial. A person associated with the publication previously posted (archived) on X about their inclusion in such false videos, specifically refuting the idea they reported on the prosecution revealing a secret "tape" recording depicting Prince exposing Combs. In a direct message to Snopes on X, they labeled such videos as "false reports," adding that advertising revenue seemed to possibly be the YouTube channel's goal. Snopes previously reported that Inner City Press never reported on any such Prince recording and that the prosecution did not play any "tape" involving the late musician.
Despite the video's thumbnail image, the video itself made no mention of Combs and Usher sharing a bed. The clip's narrator instead described Usher's alleged testimony in court — which did not occur — featuring details from Combs' influence on the rising star, beginning in decades past. In 2004, Rolling Stone reported on some of these same stories involving Usher and Combs in an article (archived) titled "Usher's Wild Ride."
"AI Detector." QuillBot, https://quillbot.com/ai-content-detector.
"AI Detector - Free AI Checker for ChatGPT, GPT-4, Gemini & More." Copyleaks, https://copyleaks.com/ai-content-detector.
"AI Detector - Trusted AI Checker for ChatGPT, GPT4 & Gemini." ZeroGPT, https://www.zerogpt.com/.
Cohen, Luc, and Luc Cohen. "Sean 'Diddy' Combs Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Trafficking; Judge Denies Bail." Reuters, 18 Sept. 2024, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/sean-diddy-combs-criminal-charges-expected-be-unveiled-ny-after-arrest-2024-09-17/.
"Disclosing Use of Altered or Synthetic Content - Computer." YouTube Help, https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/14328491.
"Free Text to Speech & AI Voice Generator." ElevenLabs, https://elevenlabs.io.
Grigoriadis, Vanessa. "Usher's Wild Ride." Rolling Stone, 13 May 2004, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ushers-wild-ride-235562/.
@innercitypress. "No, There Was No Prince Audio Played in the US v. Sean Combs Trial Last Week - Though Apparently..." X, 19 May 2025, https://x.com/innercitypress/status/1924408962738253843.
Landrum Jr., Jonathan. "Diddy Faces Public Scrutiny over Alleged Sex Crimes as Questions Arise about Future of His Music." The Associated Press, 21 Sept. 2024, https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-7ffff613c885e5010ba3cfdb0625fb5a.
Maddox, Bentley. "Dawn Richard Testifies Usher Witnessed Sean 'Diddy' Combs Punch Cassie Ventura in Stomach." E! Online, 20 May 2025, https://www.eonline.com/news/1417742/usher-witnessed-sean-diddy-combs-abuse-dawn-richard-says.
Sisario, Ben, and Julia Jacobs. "Drugs, Sex, Baby Oil: The 'Freak-Offs' at the Core of Sean Combs's Troubles." The New York Times, 22 Sept. 2024, https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/22/arts/music/sean-combs-diddy-freakoffs-sex-drugs.html.
"Usher | Artist." Grammy.com, https://grammy.com/artists/usher/16167.
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