Sean Combs, the music mogul currently facing sex trafficking and racketeering charges, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Courtney Burgess, a former music industry figure, and others. The lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in Manhattan, disputes Burgess’s claims of possessing videos depicting Combs in compromising situations, including alleged assaults involving minors.

Burgess, who has appeared on true crime podcasts and NewsNation, asserted last year that he had received such videos from an intermediary linked to Kim Porter, Combs’s late former partner. Burgess also claimed to have testified before a grand jury about the footage. Combs’s lawsuit denies the existence of these videos, calling Burgess’s allegations “fabricated” and “baseless.”

The suit argues that Burgess’s statements have caused significant reputational harm to Combs, tainting potential jurors ahead of his upcoming trial. Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to federal charges, is also facing over 30 civil lawsuits alleging sexual assault. His legal team maintains his innocence, stating he has “never sexually assaulted anyone.”

In addition to Burgess, the lawsuit names his attorney, Ariel Mitchell-Kidd, and Nexstar Media, the owner of NewsNation, as defendants. Mitchell-Kidd, who has publicly supported Burgess’s claims, dismissed the lawsuit as a “pathetic ploy to silence victims” and vowed to countersue.

Burgess, who has no personal connection to Combs, has acknowledged disposing of the original flash drives containing the alleged videos but suggested copies might exist on his phone or email. Mitchell-Kidd stated that authorities have recovered Burgess’s phone, though no evidence of the videos has been confirmed.

The lawsuit also targets a recent Peacock documentary, The Making of a Bad Boy, in which Mitchell-Kidd reiterated Burgess’s claims. Combs’s legal team contends these statements are false and damaging.

Combs’s trial, set for May, centers on allegations that he orchestrated coercive sexual encounters. He denies the charges, maintaining all interactions were consensual.