Sean Combs Accuses Netflix of Using Unauthorized Footage in Upcoming Docuseries
Sean “Diddy” Combs is challenging Netflix over its new four-part documentary Sean Combs: The Reckoning, alleging that the streaming platform has incorporated private, never-before-seen footage that he says was never approved for release.
The dispute centers on material filmed in September 2024, only days before Combs was arrested in a Manhattan hotel lobby on charges including sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. In a newly released trailer, Combs appears in a hotel room on Sept. 10, 2024, speaking with lawyers on a conference call and expressing concern about the escalating legal pressure he faced at the time. “We have to find somebody that’ll work with us,” he says in the clip. “We’re losing.”
According to Combs’ spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, the footage was captured while Combs was considering producing his own documentary and was gathering material for a possible project. Engelmayer says that while Combs held early conversations with Netflix about collaborating on a film, the two sides failed to reach an agreement, primarily over creative control. The footage, Combs argues, remained his intellectual property and was not authorized for use in any external production.
Engelmayer described Netflix’s decision to include the footage as “illegal” and “deeply disrespectful,” adding that the scenes depict private moments that were not intended for public consumption, including discussions with legal counsel. “Mr. Combs has been amassing footage for decades, dating back to when he was 19, so he could tell his own story in his own way,” Engelmayer said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “It is fundamentally unfair for Netflix to misappropriate this work simply to amplify a media spectacle.”
The spokesperson also criticized Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, one of the documentary’s executive producers, noting the long-running feud between the two artists. Engelmayer claimed that Jackson has a “personal vendetta” against Combs and has repeatedly mocked him on social media throughout his legal troubles. The involvement of a known rival, Combs’ team argues, raises questions about the project’s intention and fairness.
Sean Combs: The Reckoning, which premieres Dec. 2, features interviews with former Bad Boy artists and associates, including Aubrey O’Day, Mark Curry, and Kalenna Harper, along with individuals who have publicly accused Combs of misconduct over the years. The series also includes commentary from two jurors who acquitted him on sex-trafficking charges in July. Combs was found guilty on two lesser counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence.
Director Alexandria Stapleton said the documentary aims to examine not only the allegations against Combs but also the broader culture surrounding celebrity power. “This isn’t just the story of Sean Combs,” Stapleton noted in a press release. “It’s also a reflection of how fame operates, what we choose to overlook, and the consequences of elevating public figures to a level beyond accountability.”
Netflix has not publicly responded to the claims that the material was misappropriated. As of now, the release of the documentary remains scheduled, and Combs’ team has not indicated whether they plan to pursue legal action beyond their public statements.
The dispute adds yet another layer to a turbulent chapter in Combs’ life, arriving less than a year after his high-profile arrest and months of legal proceedings that continue to shape his public and professional future.
