Netflix Stands by The Reckoning Following Sean Combs’ Claims of Illegality
Netflix responded to criticism of its docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning, following accusations from a representative of the music mogul who deemed the project “illegal.”
“The assertions regarding Sean Combs: The Reckoning are incorrect. The project has no connections to any previous discussions involving Sean Combs and Netflix,” a Netflix representative stated in a Tuesday, December 2, comment to Us Weekly. “The footage depicting Combs prior to his indictment and arrest was acquired legally. This is not a smear campaign or an act of retaliation. Curtis Jackson [50 Cent] serves as an executive producer but lacks creative authority. No participants were compensated for their involvement.”
The streaming service’s remarks came just a day after a spokesperson for Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is currently serving a 50-month prison term due to convictions on two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution, branded the documentary a “shameful hit piece” in a statement to Us.
“Mr. Combs has been gathering footage since he was 19 to narrate his own story, in his own manner,” the statement added. “It is fundamentally unjust, and illegal, for Netflix to wrongfully utilize that work.”
On the subject of 50 Cent’s involvement in The Reckoning, which features never-before-seen footage of Diddy accompanied by commentary from various associates, the statement noted, “It is equally shocking that Netflix granted creative control to Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson – a long-time rival with a personal agenda who has invested considerable effort into disparaging Mr. Combs.” (50 Cent’s well-documented public feud with Diddy dates back to the early 2000s.)
The statement was further accompanied by a cease and desist letter directed to the streaming platform.
Director of The Reckoning, Alexandria Stapleton, previously mentioned that the footage of Diddy was obtained legally. “It came to us; we secured the footage lawfully and hold the necessary rights,” she disclosed to Netflix’s Tudum last month. “We worked diligently to maintain the filmmaker’s confidentiality. One constant with Sean Combs is that he is always recording himself, a passion he’s had for decades.”
The documentary also delves into Diddy’s purported strategy to relocate $200 million prior to his September 2024 arrest on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. (Diddy has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has vehemently denied all allegations against him, ultimately being acquitted of the sex trafficking and racketeering charges.)
Sean Combs: The Reckoning is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
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