Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyers seek to quit $100M defamation case

Sean “Diddy” Combs' legal team submitted a motion to the court to end their representation in his $100 million defamation action against Courtney Burgess, Ariel Mitchell and Nexstar Media Inc., which runs NewsNation. Partner Michael Tremonte of Sher Tremonte LLP argued that Combs has failed to pay a large portion of attorney fees, costs and expenses for more than six months and has not communicated with the firm for over four months, making the attorney-client relationship untenable.

The motion seeks the court’s approval for the firm to withdraw as counsel. The underlying case, filed in January 2025, claims Burgess fabricated allegations that he possessed sex-tape recordings of Combs with celebrities and minors, a claim Mitchell allegedly endorsed and NewsNation broadcast. Combs later amended the complaint to add another $50 million in damages. The filing comes after Combs was acquitted of sex-trafficking and racketeering charges last July.