Lawyer cite 300 potential cases against Diddy

One lawyer wey dey represent several of di alleged victims of Sean "Diddy" Combs say di potential number of civil legal cases against di musician "dey probably in di range of 300".

Tony Buzbee tell BBC say im team don receive about 3,000 calls since im hold news conference wia im call for clients for October.

Im don already issue 20 lawsuits from men and women wey dey seek damages from di musician. E add say "realistically" di final total go dey "about 100 to 150". Odas no go make am to court becos di time limit for filing claims don expire for certain states.

Oga Combs don deny all di charges against am, e call di accusations "sickening" and di result of pipo wey dey look for a "quick payday".

Im lawyers bin characterise di multiple civil lawsuits, including di claims of 300 potential victims, as part of a "reckless media circus".

Dem say Oga Buzbee press conference, and di creation of a toll-free phone number for tip-offs, na "clear attempts to garner publicity".

For statement to BBC, im attorney Erica Wolff say: "Oga Combs get full confidence for di facts and di integrity of di judicial process.

"For court, di truth go prevail: To say Oga Combs never sexually assaulted or traffic anyone - man or woman, adult or minor."

Di musician currently dey for Manhattan Metropolitan Detention Center, wia im dey await trial on separate criminal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, wey im also deny.

Who be Tony Buzbee?

Oga Buzbee, wey im practice dey based in Houston, na veri big character for US legal circles, New York Times once describe am as a "a big, mean, ambitious, tenacious, fire-breathing Texas trial lawyer".

Na former Marine and a TV show host, im make im name by suing di energy giant BP afta explosion for one oil refinery for Texas City bin kill 15 pipo and im also successfully defend former Texas govnor Rick Perry against abuse-of-power allegations.

More recently, im help a sizeable group of women reach out-of-court settlements wit American Football player Deshaun Watson ova allegations say e sexually assault dem during private massage sessions.

Im involvement wit Oga Combs begin last year - afta im co-counsel Andrew Van Arsdale, wey bin previously represent hundreds of victims for one sexual abuse lawsuit against di Boy Scouts of America, begin to receive calls about di star.

“I feel say im bin dey too much, and im bin realise say dis fit pass wetin im fit handle [on im own]”, Buzbee tok.

Afta im agree to help, Buzbee bin ask di potential victims to come forward via Instagram post. For di next 10 days, im estimate say im team receive 3,000 calls.

Dose claims, a team of lawyers and former law enforcement officials bin screen dem, wia dem arrive at a list of clients wit cases “wey dey viable, wey dey thoroughly vetted, wey dem ultimately file”, im tok.

"We still dey get [calls] evri single day," im add. "I feel say di potential [number of] cases dey probably in di range of 300, but I feel say realistically, e go ultimately be about 100 to 150."

Di alleged victims include a roughly equal number of men and women; dia accusations span a 20-year period.

Dem go waive anonymity

Among dem na one woman wey claim say Oga Combs rape her for one hotel room for 2004 wen she be19-year-old college student; and one aspiring young musician wey allege say di musician drug am and force am to perform oral sex wen im bin dey 10 years old.

Lawyers for Oga Combs don deny di allegations. Dem write for statement to BBC say im "never sexually assault anyone - adult or minor, man or woman".

Dem file di lawsuits anonymously, and refer to di alleged victims for court documents as John Doe or Jane Doe.

However, Oga Combs lawyers don ask di courts to release dia identities so im fit prepare well for any potential trial.

For three cases so far, including dat of di 19-year-old woman, a judge rule say dem go need to reveal dia names for dia claims to move forward.

"E dey happun a lot," Oga Buzbee tell di BBC. "If di plaintiff dey forced to reveal his or her identity, Oga Combs hope say dem go quietly go away and dem no go ever bring di claim again.

"Di good news na say, dat no go happun. Dat na somtin I screen for... so if dem dey forced to reveal dia identity, dem go reveal dia identity, and we go continue to press forward.”

Oga Buzbee add say dem don take similar measures for di DeShaun Watson case, wia several women publicly bin attach dia names to di lawsuits afta a challenge from di sportsman lawyers.

Dem fit 'likely' name celebrities

One lawsuit don receive particular attention becos e claim say oda celebrities bin dey involved for Oga Combs' alleged crimes.

Dem file di case for New York for October regarding a 13-year-old wey claim say she become disorientated and dizzy afta she accept a drink at one of Oga Combs parties.

Soon afta, she claim say one man, originally identified as "Celebrity A" remove her clothes and rape her, while Oga Combs and one woman wey dey named as "Celebrity B" watch.

On Sunday, di plaintiff update di lawsuit to identity di first celebrity as di rap legend Jay-Z.

For one extensive statement, Jay-Z, wey im real name na Shawn Carter, call di claims "idiotic" and accuse Oga Buzbee of attempting to blackmail am by threatening to make im name public.

"My heart and support dey go out to true victims for di world, who get to watch how dia life story dem go dey dressed for costume for profitability by dis ambulance chaser for a cheap suit," im add put.

Di musician don previously bin file an anonymous lawsuit for Los Angeles, wia im accuse Oga Buzbee of "shamelessly" trying to extort am.

Oga Buzbee fire back say di "frivolous" lawsuit na "last-ditch attempt" to stop Oga Carter name to dey public.

"I be US Marine," Im write for Instagram statement. "I no go dey silenced or dey intimidated. Neither will my clients."

Oga Combs legal team also deny di claims, and say di extortion charge against Oga Buzbee "expose im barrage of lawsuits… for wetin dem be: Shameless publicity stunts, wey dey designed to extract payments from celebrities wey dey make dem no spread lies about dem, just like di lies dem don spread about Oga Combs".

Di back and forth don only fuel speculation say more high-profile music industry figures go fit join for di upcoming trials.

Speaking to di BBC, Oga Buzbee say eventuality e dey "veri likely".

"If you just look di conduct wey dey alleged, e dey pretty ubiquitous. E get culture wey dem bin create, party culture, wia anytin go," im tok.

"Na just general feeling wey dey say [Oga Combs] dey above di law, im fit do whatever im want, whenever im want, wit anybodi wey im want."

Social media don see plenty speculation, linking pipo to Oga Combs alleged crimes - based on little tins like photos of showbusiness parties for 1990s and 2000s.

Needless to say, no evidence to back up dose allegations.

Many fakes tori on top dis mata dey , including one tell-all biography purportedly written by Oga Combs late partner, Kim Porter; and a viral song, wey Justin Bieber purportedly sing, "I lost myself at a Diddy party". Di alleged Bieber song turn out to be AI-generated fake.

Lawyers for Oga Combs don argue say di number of "false and outrageous" claims wey "goment agents, plaintiffs attorneys, and odas wit questionable motives" make fit dey "perceived as prejudicing potential jurors".

Oga Buzbee disagree.

"Obviously, di pipo wey come into di court as jurors, no dey come in in a vacuum," e tell BBC.

"Dem dey read di press, and dem know wetin dey go on, but I feel say most pipo dey willing to say, 'Make we judge di claim on im merits. Wetin be dia proof and wetin be dia defence?'"

In di end, Oga Buzbee clients fit face a long wait bifor di judge go hear dia cases for court.

Jennie VonCannon, a former federal prosecutor wit experience of sex trafficking and racketeering cases, say di criminal trial against Oga Combs go end bifor di civil claims go proceed.

"Dat na becos di Fifth Amendment give you di right to remain silent," she tell BBC.

"So you need di criminal case to go first, becos if you make statements for di civil cases in order to defend yoursef, you fit possibly incriminate yoursef."

Di BBC understand di Grand Jury hearings for Oga Combs criminal trial don continue since dem file charges against am for September.

Belief be say some of di alleged victims wey dey sue am for civil courts don give testimony for dis hearings. VonCannon say di goment fit easily amend dia case as a result.

"School of thought dey say no investigation dey eva complete," she tok.

"E dey like say di goment still dey actively produce discovery, so e dey possible dem go supersede [replace or amend]di indictment, and even add more defendants."

Di criminal trial currently dey scheduled to begin for May 2025.