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Sean Combs: The Reckoning faces a major legal hurdle as Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers send a cease-and-desist letter to Netflix demanding that the streamer halt the docuseries’ release. The letter claims the project uses unauthorized footage, including clips filmed days before Combs’ September 2024 arrest. It also warns that the material may include private conversations and copyrighted content that Combs says he never approved for public distribution.
However, Netflix still plans to release Sean Combs: The Reckoning as a four-part docuseries. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson produces the series, which examines allegations, legal battles, and public controversies surrounding Combs as he serves a federal prison sentence.
Legal dispute over footage used in Sean Combs: The Reckoning
A spokesperson for Combs tells CNN that Netflix plans to release “stolen footage” originally filmed for his own lifelong documentary project. Combs has spent decades hiring videographers to capture behind-the-scenes moments, business meetings, and private conversations. His team says footage from this archive appears in the trailer for Sean Combs: The Reckoning.
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In the one-minute trailer, Combs says, “We need to find someone who will work with us who has worked in the dirtiest of dirty businesses. We are losing.” His legal team claims that the clip includes strategic discussions tied to his legal defense and was never meant for a docuseries produced without his consent.
Juda Engelmayer, Combs’ spokesperson, says neither Combs nor his team got a screener of the series. He adds that Netflix and Jackson did not explain how they got the disputed footage.
Netflix, through director Alexandra Stapleton, maintains that the production team legally obtained all material used in Sean Combs: The Reckoning. Stapleton says they hold the necessary rights and will not reveal the videographer’s name for safety reasons. She also says the team contacted Combs’ lawyers multiple times for interviews or comments but got no response.
The cease-and-desist letter warns that Combs will seek legal action if Netflix proceeds. It cites his track record, including a $100 million defamation suit against NBCUniversal over an earlier documentary. His team also claims that Netflix knows he has been filming his own documentary since age 19 and calls it “fundamentally unfair” for the platform to release footage tied to that unfinished project. They also object to Jackson’s participation, noting the long-standing public rivalry.
Rivalry and context surrounding Sean Combs: The Reckoning
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has long commented on Combs’ legal issues, often through humor or criticism on social media. His company produces Sean Combs: The Reckoning, and he promotes the project across his platforms. On Good Morning America, Jackson says the docuseries is not personal. He says the project presents issues he believes must be addressed and denies that his participation stems from past tension.
Their rivalry spans years. Jackson has released diss tracks and made jokes about Combs’ business ventures. Combs has downplayed the tension in past interviews, but the feud intensifies as legal challenges mount.
Footage included in the docuseries shows Combs at the Park Hyatt hotel in Manhattan as he prepares for his anticipated September 2024 arrest. It documents meetings with attorneys, calm moments at restaurants, and personal reflections filmed as his legal situation worsens.
Combs was arrested days after the footage was recorded. Federal prosecutors charged him with transporting individuals to engage in prostitution. A jury acquitted him of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy but convicted him on two counts tied to prostitution-related offenses. He is now serving a 50-month sentence at a federal facility in New Jersey while appealing his conviction.
Civil cases also remain active. Nearly 70 lawsuits accuse Combs of sexual abuse spanning decades, including allegations brought by individuals who were minors at the time. Combs denies all claims, and several cases have been dismissed.
Sean Combs: The Reckoning is the third documentary produced about Combs this year. His lawyers say production companies are “rushing to capitalize” on the public attention surrounding the cases. The Netflix series includes interviews with jurors who helped determine his verdict. Their comments provide insight into how the panel viewed testimony from key witnesses, including singer Casandra Ventura.
As the legal dispute continues, Netflix has not announced any changes to its release plans for Sean Combs: The Reckoning. Combs’ lawyers maintain that Netflix must halt the project or risk legal action.
Sean Combs: The Reckoning is scheduled to stream exclusively on Netflix on December 2. Viewers can watch the four-part docuseries upon its release on the platform.
