Diddy sued by Sinaloa cartel member for allegedly ruining drug business
Damita Menezes
(NewsNation) — A self-proclaimed member of the Sinaloa drug cartel filed a lawsuit against hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and Bad Boy Entertainment, alleging defamation that he claims ruined his illicit drug business.
Diddy vs. Sinaloa cartel member
The case, filed in the Southern District of New York, was swiftly dismissed by Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain on August 12.
Alfredo P. Gonzalez, currently incarcerated in Colorado, sought $666,000 in damages, asserting that Combs and his associates had tarnished his reputation in New York’s criminal underworld.
The plaintiff claimed that after declining these purported offers, he was told his life would be made “hell” due to the “power [Combs] has in the streets.” Gonzalez further alleged that this led to the loss of his New York-based drug business contacts.
FILE -Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs participates in “The Four” panel during the FOX Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif., Jan. 4, 2018. A former model accused Combs of sexually assaulting her at his New York City recording studio in 2003 in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the latest in a series of allegations against the embattled hip-hop mogul. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
FILE – Music mogul and entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs arrives at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas, May 15, 2022. Two more women have come forward to accuse Combs of sexual abuse, one week after the music mogul settled a separate lawsuit with the singer Cassie that contained allegations of rape and physical abuse. Both of the new suits were filed Thursday, Nov. 24, 2023. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
FILE – Sean “Diddy” Combs arrives at the LA Premiere of “The Four: Battle For Stardom” at the CBS Radford Studio Center on May 30, 2018, in Los Angeles. Newly released video Friday, May 17, 2024, appears to show Combs beating his former singing protege and girlfriend Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 21: Sean “Diddy” Combs speaks during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference National Town Hall on September 21, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Congressional Black Caucus Foundation)
Sean “Diddy” Combs performs on November 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Sean Diddy Combs)
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 07: Diddy performs at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in a special one night only event at O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on November 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Getty Images for Sean Diddy Combs)
FILE – Sean “Diddy” Combs arrives at the BET Awards, June 26, 2022, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Combs wants to strengthen the Black dollar: The music mogul is spearheading a new online marketplace called Empower Global that will specifically feature Black-owned businesses. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
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Judge Swain dismissed the case on multiple grounds.
First, she ruled that Gonzalez lacked legal standing to sue, as his claimed injuries stemmed from illegal activities not protected by law. Additionally, the court found the claims to be frivolous, lacking “an arguable basis either in law or in fact.”
The judge denied Gonzalez leave to amend his complaint, stating that the defects in his lawsuit could not be cured by amendment.
Diddy lawsuits
Combs has been at the center of a storm of controversy and legal troubles where multiple individuals have come forward with allegations of sexual assault against him, leading to a series of lawsuits.
These accusations have triggered a federal investigation, with reports suggesting that authorities are looking into potential sex trafficking charges.
