Why Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs used to wear fake jewellery
Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs is now facing several lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and more. However, he had an image of opulence before he entered his new residence: the uncomfortable and unpleasant MDC.
Before Cassie Ventura filed her lawsuit in 2023, Combs had respect for being one of the wealthiest men in hip-hop and was the true definition of an honourable, self-made mogul.
Whether it was his producing to rapping, singing, acting or television production, the Harlem-born celebrity was and still is a man of many talents. Still, before the incarcerated figure acquired his wealth, he had an unrelenting need for the finer things in life.
When Combs first founded Bad Boy Entertainment in the early 1990s, he had just been fired from his A&R position at Uptown Records and was a little cash-strapped. However, upon discovering Biggie Smalls, things quickly changed, and he began to ice himself out with diamond jewellery, curating his image.
However, in an interview with the esteemed publication GQ, some of Combs’s former associates unveiled that Combs didn’t spend much money on diamonds. As the founder of Revolt TV and an ambassador of the famous vodka brand Cîroc, the mogul has a lot of money. However, not all of the diamonds in his collection are real.
Combs’s former personal valet, Fonzworth Bentley, recalled a story about how Combs first fell in love with jewellery while on holiday in the Caribbean, remembering, “He went in town to get the mother of two of his children a gift. So there are all these really nice boutiques, and we fell into this one boutique, and there were these diamond watches, and they were really beautiful.”
However, Bentley revealed that the diamonds were all fake, stating, “There was something really unique about them, and I remember him asking, ‘Hey, let me see this one.’ He picked it up, and he was looking at it, and then the price tag was there, and the price tag was something like $2,500. He was like, ‘Wait, these are fake?’ And the woman was like, ‘Yeah, these aren’t real!'”
However, even though they were fake, Bentley disclosed that Combs was more than happy to buy and wear them, divulging, “So he puts one on, and we’re looking at it, and we’re both marvelling at it. He looks at me, and he goes, ‘They ain’t gonna think it’s fake on Combs.'”
Bentley concluded by confirming that before Bad Boy really took off when Combs was a label executive looking for talent, a lot of the jewellery he wore to music industry functions was utterly fake and worthless.
It would be unfair to assert that the imprisoned producer still wore fake jewellery at the height of his career. However, as he waits in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Centre on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution charges, much of his assets are held by the IRS.
Combs will face trial on May 5th to await the verdict. However, a recent statement released by his legal team fronted by Marc Agnifilo reads: “No matter how many lawsuits are filed — especially by individuals who refuse to put their own names behind their claims — it won’t change the fact that Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone — man or woman, adult or minor.” Furthermore, they are confident in court the “truth will prevail.”
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.