Latest news with #legaltroubles
The Sun
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Diddy faces cash crisis as Cassie payout and civil suits drain $400m fortune despite racketeering acquittal, says lawyer
SEAN 'Diddy' Combs may not have to deal with life in prison after being acquitted on multiple charges, but he could run into financial difficulties when he is released from jail, an expert has claimed. The controversial music mogul was sitting on a fortune of almost a billion dollars at one point in his career before it imploded. 4 But his net worth reportedly dwindled to $400 million months before his arrest in 2024. He has since had to pay a growing mountain of legal fees for his criminal trial, several civil cases, and a $20 million settlement to his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. Combs, 55, was acquitted of the most serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking this week after a weeks-long trial in Manhattan, New York. But he was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and remains behind bars ahead of his sentencing hearing. Despite each count carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years, he is likely to be a free man in the coming months, according to experts. But he may struggle to get his career back on track as his business empire has significantly declined due to his legal troubles and the public fallout from the allegations. Eric Faddis, a former felony prosecutor and founding partner at Varner Faddis Elite Legal, spoke to The U.S. Sun to give his opinion on what is next for Combs. He said, "One thing that's clear is that his resources have been depleted. He still appears to have some wealth. But there's going to be a collectability issue when it comes to these civil cases. "If they all get judgments, he's not going to have enough personal assets to make them whole. "There is no legal mechanism of which I'm aware by which he could try to take back the twenty million or so dollars that he paid to Cassie in a civil judgment. That's over and done with. Horror full unedited vid shows Sean 'Diddy' Combs attack on ex Cassie Ventura during 'freak off' party in LA "There are murmurs about ... is he going to try to go after other folks who are involved in this trial for defamation, or malicious prosecution, or something like that? "Anything is possible, but I think he would be better off kind of letting sleeping dogs lie, moving on with his life, and undertaking this herculean effort of dealing with the other civil cases." Asked if he believes he could go broke, Faddis claimed, "Oh, 100 per cent. I think there's a substantial chance that his assets are going to be dwindling if they're not already dwindling. "There's no insurance policy that's going to kick in and pay out these plaintiffs. "If these plaintiffs prevail in the civil claims, he himself is going to be financially responsible. "I'm sure he paid gobs and gobs of money to his criminal attorneys for this two-month trial. "On top of that, a lot of his endorsements and contractual support is likely gone. And so I think he's going to run into financial issues real soon." There's no insurance policy that's going to kick in and pay out these plaintiffs." Attorney Eric Faddis told The U.S. Sun Combs paid off a $18.8 million mortgage on his lavish $48.5 million Star Island mansion in Miami, Florida, before his arrest. To try and secure bail, his defense team previously proposed a $50 million bond package, which included the property that was raided by the feds. He also listed his $61.5 million Beverly Hills home for sale, but it remains on the market. BUSINESS EMPIRE The star was running multiple businesses before his scandal, including Revolt TV, which he founded, and his fashion brand Sean John, which vanished from Macy's. Combs relinquished control of his lucrative spirits brands, Ciroc and DeLeón, and also reportedly lost a Hulu reality series deal. However, his music catalog remains intact for the time being. Combs kept his label Bad Boy Records relevant before he was arrested and backed the likes of Machine Gun Kelly's 'Mainstream Sellout' in 2022. In 2023, he also dropped The Love Album: Off the Grid, his first solo album in nearly two decades. The same year, singer Janelle Monae also released her celebrated record The Age of Pleasure through Bad Boy. Asked if he thinks he could build his empire back up, Faddis said, "It's not unheard of in America for folks who have, you know, been formerly disgraced to kind of make a comeback. "I think he's going to try [but] whether America has the stomach for that at this point is an open question. "I think, legally speaking, it is certainly a victory for Diddy, but I think we [have] to be careful, because there are a lot of sensitive issues at play here, just because the jury found that he was not guilty. That's not the same as finding that he was innocent. "What the jury found was that the Government couldn't meet its burden with respect to those charges. That's not the same as saying those things didn't happen." Combs was previously forced to apologize to fans after previously denying physically assaulting ex Ventura when CNN published exclusive hotel surveillance video from 2016. The footage showed Combs appearing to grab, shove, drag, and kick the singer in a hotel hallway. 'My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video,' he said in a video statement posted on Instagram. 'I was disgusted then when I did it. I'm disgusted now,' he added. 'I went and I sought out professional help. I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I'm so sorry. But I'm committed to be a better man each and every day. I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm truly sorry.' Combs fell to his knees on Wednesday when the verdict was read out in a Manhattan courtroom, and he was acquitted of the most serious charges in his criminal case. The U.S. Sun obtained a letter from the prosecution sent to Judge Arun Subramanian regarding the star's sentence for two counts of engaging in prostitution, which is yet to be decided. They say the guideline sentence for him is just 51 to 63 months [five and a half years maximum], and he has already been behind bars for nine months. It reads, "The Government notes, however, that the Guidelines applicable at sentencing may be higher than this preliminary calculation. "The Government has not had adequate time to carefully consider all potentially applicable Guidelines provisions." 4 4
News.com.au
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Best friend of Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' late ex-wife has shocking reaction to verdict
Kim Porter's best friend, Eboni Elektra, has stayed silent about Sean 'Diddy' Combs' legal troubles — until now. The 54-year-old broke her silence via Instagram on Wednesday after the rapper's mixed verdict was revealed, reports Page Six. The Grammy winner, notably, was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering. 'PRAISE GOD,' Elektra captioned a close-up photo of Combs' face. 'OPINIONS …. we are all entitled to them. MISTAKES … we all make them. JUDGING … we all do it. GOSSIP …. we are all guilty of it. 'GOD'S WILL … is higher than any opinion, mistake, Judgement, or gossip,' she continued. 'If this is God's will for Puff / diddy, than that's His will. In the end, what we think does not compare to His will.' Elektra concluded by asking, 'WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE??? That's God's job. It's all in His hands. U never know. #isallintheword#readyourbible … my opinionâ�¤ï¸�.' T.I.'s wife, Tameka 'Tiny' Harris supported Elektra in the comments, defending 'being freaky.' Many social media users, however, blasted Elektra's reaction, calling her a 'clown.' One claimed, 'Poor Kim it's becoming very apparent she had no REAL friends,' while another added, 'You haven't made not one comment about this until now. Really should've kept it that way, but hey.' A third pointed out that Combs' on-again, off-again ex-girlfriend Cassie — who testified in Combs' six-week trial about the alleged rape and physical abuse she endured during their relationship — follows Elektra and may have seen the 'sick' post. Cassie, 38, dated the Bad Boy Records founder between 2007 and 2018. Porter, for her part, was romantically linked to Combs from 1994 to 2007, and the duo shared four kids — Quincy, 34, Christian 'King,' 27, and twins D'Lila and Jessie, 18. Combs, notably, is also the father of Justin, 31, Chance, 18, and Love, 2. Porter, whose children have supported Combs in court, died in November 2018 at age 47. Five years later, Combs' legal battle kicked off when Cassie sued him in a bombshell lawsuit, which he quickly settled for $20 million. The dancer's claims, as well as a 2016 video that surfaced of Combs beating Cassie in a hotel, led many to speculate about his dynamic with Porter — including the late model's 'disgusted' dad. 'I didn't know he could stoop that low,' Jake Porter told Rolling Stone last year, saying it gave him a 'different outlook' that made him 'wonder' about Combs. The record executive was arrested in September 2024 following headline-making raids on his homes, with his federal court case beginning in May. Combs is facing up to 20 years in prison. He was denied bail on Wednesday due to a 'disregard for the rule of law and a propensity of violence.' Combs' sentencing is scheduled for October 3.
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Love Island's Davide Sanclimenti enjoys romantic getaway with girlfriend Iris Au as she faces jail term over $2.6million tax row
Davide Sanclimenti and his girlfriend have enjoyed a romantic getaway to California 's sun-soaked Santa Catalina island amid her legal troubles over a $2.6million tax row. The Love Island star, 30, and Iris Au, 35, went public with their relationship in January after she agreed to plead guilty to a charge after failing to report financial gains she obtained via her ex boyfriend's cryptocurrency. It was revealed that Iris could face up to three years behind bars when she's sentenced, something Davide, who is 'staying by her side', says he's been aware of all along. And it seems the couple are trying to take their minds of Iris's legal woes, as they shared snaps from a romantic getaway in California. Davide, who appeared on season 8 of Love Island in 2022, and his new flame looked totally smitten while posing in their swimwear by the coast. Iris showed off her enviable curves in a skimpy blue bikini while cuddling up close to her boyfriend of six months. The self-proclaimed 'Italian Stallion' also shared pictures of him and his partner enjoying a trip on a helicopter together, with the loved-up couple posing for a selfie while strapped in for the ride. Iris too posed up a storm for a solo snap, looking sensational in a white and black two-piece in front of a scenic backdrop. It comes just a couple of months after Davide, who left the Love Island villa with Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, broke his silence about Iris's run-in with the law. Davide revealed that he 'stole' her from her ex-boyfriend cryptocurrency fraudster Iza, who has been dubbed 'The Godfather', while they were still together. It was during her time with Iza that Iris allegedly became involved in illegal activity. She agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal tax charge earlier this year meaning she's likely to be thrown behind bars. A statement revealed that she had agreed to plead guilty to the tax charge and also agreed to pay a federal criminal tax charge for failing to report $2.6 million (£2,004,886) in crypto income. She illegally gained this profit from the criminal activities of her then boyfriend. Davide however is loyally sticking by her side, telling MailOnline in March: 'How The Italian Stallion stole the girl from the Godfather with the LAPD on a speed deal… this sounds like a Hollywood blockbuster,' he said. 'The truth is that I knew about her situation from the start which is why I was protecting her. 'Iris is an amazing person who has been through difficult situations that most people could never understand. 'There's so much of this extraordinary story that people don't know yet. I will be there by her side to supply her as she deserves all the support and understanding.' According to Au's plea agreement, from 2020 to 2024, her ex Iza committed a series of crimes, including fraudulently obtaining access to advertising accounts and lines of credit provided by Facebook Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. and selling access to those accounts. Iza obtained millions of dollars of unreported income as a result of these schemes. Separately, Iza engaged active Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) deputies to provide private security for him and caused the deputies, among other things, to obtain court-authorized search warrants and confidential law enforcement information targeting people with whom Iza had financial and personal disputes. At Iza's direction, Au created shell corporations and opened bank accounts in the names of those entities. She then used the illicit funds placed into those accounts to pay approximately $1 million to the deputies, mostly in cash, purchase or lease luxury real estate, cars, jewelry, and clothing, pay for recreational activity for Iza and herself valued at nearly $10 million, and acquire approximately $16 million in cryptocurrency for Iza. Au admitted in her plea agreement that she transferred more than $2.6 million from these various accounts to her personal bank accounts during the period 2020 through 2023, income that she willfully failed to report to the IRS on her federal tax returns. After pleading guilty, Iris Au will face up to three years in federal prison.
New York Times
26-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Former Aide to Hochul and Cuomo Faces Fresh Corruption Charges
More legal troubles have been piled on Linda Sun, a former aide to two New York governors who has been accused of using her position to help the Chinese government. Ms. Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, face new charges that they helped steer lucrative contracts to Chinese companies to sell masks and ventilators to New York's government at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. They received millions of dollars from those companies for helping secure the contracts and then failed to report the money as taxable income, according to federal prosecutors in Brooklyn. Ms. Sun 'enriched herself to the tune of millions of dollars when New York State was at its most vulnerable,' Joseph Nocella Jr., the interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a news release. Jarrod L. Schaeffer, a lawyer for Ms. Sun, said prosecutors were 'publicizing feverish accusations unmoored from the facts.' 'Ms. Sun vehemently denies these latest allegations and intends to vigorously contest them in court,' Mr. Schaeffer said in a statement. Seth DuCharme, a lawyer for Mr. Hu, said he remained confident in his client's innocence and that the government had been 'scrambling to try to come up with some new charging theory' with a trial approaching. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Garth Brooks' Daughter Shares Bold Statement Amid His Legal Troubles
Garth Brooks' Daughter Shares Bold Statement Amid His Legal Troubles originally appeared on Parade. As country singer faces legal issues following sexual assault allegations that came out late last year, his youngest daughter,, shared a strong statement about her professional association with her father. The 28-year-old recently sat down for a conversation with for the Bobbycast podcast to talk about her life, during which she made it clear how she wants to be separate from her father when it comes to forging her music career. 🎬 In a clip shared on the podcast's Instagram page, Allie said, "I'm just asking, more so the industry, to help me out, to not put me in that box...I'm not gonna fit in that box. They're not gonna like me in there." "I don't represent [Garth Brooks] at all," she declared. "So it's just always been really tough when it's like, 'Garth Brooks' daughter, Allie Colleen, doing this...' Now, all of a sudden, everyone thinks 'Friends in Low Places' is gonna be in my set, and it's not." Luckily for Allie, quite a few of her fans in the comments didn't even know her relation to the country star, with one writing, "Good news I didn't know that and she's amazing." Another said, "Been following her a few years, zero clue she was Garth's daughter! Wild!" Allie's bold words about Brooks come not long after the 63-year-old was accused of sexual assault and battery by a former employee. Brooks went on to counter-sue, claiming extortion and defamation. The lawsuits are still Brooks' Daughter Shares Bold Statement Amid His Legal Troubles first appeared on Parade on Jun 17, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
