Sean "Diddy" Combs Ordered to Pay NBCUniversal $477,700 in Legal Fees
A judge ruled against Combs' lawsuit over a documentary about him, reducing NBC's initial fee request.
Sean "Diddy" Combs has been ordered to pay NBCUniversal $477,700.50 in attorneys’ fees after suing the media company over its documentary "Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy." The ruling comes after NBCUniversal successfully defended itself against Combs' lawsuit.
NBCUniversal had initially sought $990,292 to cover its legal costs. However, a judge reduced the amount, deeming some of the billing excessive, though the attorneys' hourly rates were found to be reasonable given their experience.
Combs' representative stated that the ruling was "only half the story," emphasizing that the court reduced NBCUniversal's request by over $512,000. The representative also noted that the judge found "substantial portions" of NBCUniversal’s billing to be "excessive and unreasonable."
This legal battle stems from a $100 million defamation lawsuit Combs filed in February 2025 against NBCUniversal and production company Ample. In his complaint, Combs alleged that the documentary caused him "severe reputational and economic harm" by making claims of "serial murder, rape of minors, and sex trafficking of minors" and attempting to "crudely psychologize him."
The lawsuit further stated that the documentary "maliciously and baselessly jumps to the conclusion that Mr. Combs is a ‘monster’ and ‘an embodiment of Lucifer’ with ‘a lot of similarities to Jeffrey Epstein.'"
Notably, the firm that argued against NBCUniversal's excessive billing, Sher Tremonte, recently withdrew from representing Combs in a separate $50 million defamation lawsuit. This withdrawal occurred after a partner at the firm stated that Combs "had not paid a substantial balance of attorneys’ fees, costs and expenses" and was "in substantial arrears" on his legal bills.
Combs is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was reportedly placed back in solitary confinement recently after reports detailed his alleged "pampered" lifestyle in prison. His release date is currently set for January 21, 2028.