On Sept. 16, after 10 months of public accusations, larger-than-life hip-hop rapper and executive Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested at a New York City hotel. The next day, his indictment was unsealed. The 14-page document charges Combs with racketeering, sex trafficking and transporting individuals for use in prostitution. Although his trial is not set to occur until May 5, 2025, the sheer number of men and women who have come forward against Combs makes his conviction seem very likely.
In the weeks after the accusations, and particularly since the indictment was unsealed, social media platforms abound with conspiracy theories surrounding Combs and his nefarious activities. One such theory claims that the man arrested on Sept. 16 was a Combs look-alike; the real Combs had escaped on his private plane into a life of luxury. Other social media “experts” claimed that the 1000 bottles of baby oil confiscated from Combs’ apartment were laced with date rape drugs — a theory that was later alleged in one of the more than two dozen lawsuits against the rapper.
While the details of Combs and his sexually abusive parties are shocking, the far more interesting theories are those about the Hollywood and Los Angeles entertainment industries. Since Combs has been such a large figure in the music world, it is easy to find a picture of your favorite celebrity with him. Hence, apparent “lists” of guests that have attended Combs'’ parties have circulated on social media platforms. Commenters are often quick to defend their favorite celebrities by pointing out that there is a clear difference between the open invite parties and the “freak-offs” — sexual performances where invitees were allegedly forced to fornicate with one another, sometimes to the point of physical exhaustion.
Unfortunately, the richest billionaires and influencers are generally not held accountable for their actions. They have enough money to buy their way out of most sticky situations or enough power to be protected in the first place. If the former president of the United States can openly brag about groping women and still make his way into the Oval Office, what’s to say an A-list singer can’t go just as far?
As with the Epstein Island, Combs’ parties involve many billionaires who, after the public scandal, are scrambling to keep their undertakings private. Although there is evidence that some celebrities may have attended the parties, it is hard to find definitive — or public — proof that a certain celebrity knew about the sexual abuse that occurred. Since traditional news outlets like The New York Times typically can’t report on the situation beyond verifiable facts, inside sources or public accusations, freer forms of content like TikTok and X are able to fill this gap. Yes, these sources often spread misinformation and propel harmful content. At the same time, however, they allow for speculation and deeper dives into situations where the full story is not yet available — and may never be.
Despite the prevalence of “cancel culture,” celebrities shockingly seem to evade any sort of punishment when they are not the main targets in these megacases. We should not cancel anyone for simply interacting with Combs, but I do see a familiar cycle where rumors of lists with names of guilty parties are revealed and those people are not held responsible. There needs to be a way to hold these powerful individuals accountable. If the law is not going to do so, since nondisclosure agreements prevent further action, then perhaps our best bet is to amplify computer warriors who can hide behind their anonymity.
At the very least, we can use these platforms to understand how these events in Hollywood are connected. This might help us begin to finally grasp the idea that celebrities are not innocent byproducts of stardom but results of industries that perfectly craft their images.
