Legal accuracy check
Florida Bar #520381 · D.C. Bar
First published · Last checked
What changed
Combs sued NBCUniversal in New York Supreme Court, New York County, a state trial court, in February 2025 over the Peacock documentary “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy.” According to Billboard and Deadline, Justice Phaedra F. Perry-Bond granted NBCUniversal’s motion to dismiss, applying New York’s anti-SLAPP law and the libel-proof plaintiff doctrine.
NBCUniversal and its co-defendants have asked for about $990,000 in legal fees under the anti-SLAPP law, according to an August 2026 report.
What it means
This was Combs’s own suit, brought as plaintiff. It does not decide any claim made against him.
Public figures who sue for defamation must prove actual malice, and many such suits end early.
Sources
Reports and news reporting
- Billboard, "Diddy can't sue NBC over Biggie and Kim Porter death claims" (April 2026) (news reporting) Accurate as of April 21, 2026.
- Deadline, "Sean Combs NBC lawsuit dismissed" (April 2026) (news reporting) Accurate as of April 21, 2026.
- V101.9, "NBCUniversal seeks nearly $1 million in legal fees from Diddy" (August 28, 2026) (news reporting) Accurate as of August 28, 2026.
