Diddy's 'working hard' to protect his brand from being 'fully eviscerated' during human trafficking probe
Sean "Diddy" Combs created a powerful legacy in the entertainment industry, thanks in part to his mastery of marketing.
It was only two weeks ago that Diddy's homes in Los Angeles and Miami were being raided by Homeland Security Investigations in connection with a federal human trafficking probe.
Since the raids on March 25, the music mogul appeared to be living care-free, as if his "Bad Boy for Life" persona never existed.
"He’s working hard to ensure his brand trust isn't fully eviscerated," brand expert Eric Schiffer told Fox News Digital.
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"The promoter in him – he’s a master marketer – understands the power of evidence that can work to convince audiences through what’s implied. And what’s implied when he's out riding his bike with a smile, or with Stevie J eating food, is that things are just fine."
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Schiffer added, "That’s the message he wants to get across after having SWAT teams at both of his properties in the last few weeks."
On Thursday, the embattled producer cruised around South Florida on two wheels and left his exclusive Star Island abode for some fresh air.
Combs, 54, was spotted wearing a black T-shirt and shorts to match his black bicycle as he trekked around town, even stretching his arms out as if he were flying over a bridge at one point.
Earlier in the week, the "All About the Benjamins" singer returned to social media for the first time since his homes were raided by HSI. Combs shared photos of his one-year-old daughter, Love, on Easter Sunday, and followed up a few days later with another snap of his little girl standing on a trampoline.
On Friday, Diddy shared the full version of his music video for the song "Victory," which features cameos from Danny DeVito and the late Dennis Hopper.
In the video, Combs runs through a desolate city to escape armed forces, only to be cornered on a rooftop where he makes the decision to jump instead of being captured. He captioned the clip "Bad Boy For Life." His friend Stevie J, rapper The Game, Timbaland and Ty Dolla Sign showed support on the post.
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Stevie J, a longtime friend and collaborator, has been seen out and about with Diddy since the federal raids. On Thursday, he shared a video on Instagram showing what "a real Diddy Party looks like."
The black-and-white clip featured a who's who of Hollywood, and included snaps of Jay-Z mingling with Kanye West and Pharell, Naomi Campbell, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian and sister Kylie Jenner. Cardi B was spotted enjoying Diddy's 50th birthday party with Travis Scott, Post Malone, The Weekend, Will Smith's son, Jaden, Kobe Bryant, Snoop Dogg and Diddy's close pal Mary J. Blige.
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While Diddy appeared untroubled to the outside world, another story could be unfolding behind closed doors for the music mogul.
"Behind the scenes, he’s speaking at length with defense attorneys, his marketing and PR people to anticipate all the things that may happen, and to prepare for the worst while staying positive and thinking about the things that he can affect," Schiffer said.
"A lot right now is not in his control, it’s in the control of the Southern District of New York prosecutors."
As many stars showed up in the video, his lengthy roster of celebrity friends seemed to remain quiet and have yet to show their support for Diddy as he faces claims of sexual assault across multiple lawsuits.
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"He’s like rat poison right now. It’s a giant dumpster fire and a threat to their brand survival," Schiffer said. "If they’re associated or if it brings out their own skeletons, it could be the kiss of death."
He added, "It’s extremely dangerous to a star when you have such serious allegations of sex trafficking, and prosecutors and the HSI that are looking through everything ... and considering that there are a lot of allegations that he filmed everything. That could be – depending upon what someone may have been associated with – career-threatening."
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Diddy was also named in a new lawsuit filed Thursday against his son, Christian Combs. Grace O'Marcaigh accused Christian of sexual assault and sued Diddy for aiding and abetting. Diddy claimed the new allegations were "manufactured lies," in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
He's named in four similar suits filed in the last four months. In November, Cassie, legally known as Casandra Ventura, accused Combs of raping her in her own home, enduring "over a decade" of his "violent behavior and disturbed demands" and forcing her to have sex with male prostitutes while he watched and filmed.
Combs "vehemently" denied Cassie's claims in a statement provided to Fox News Digital at the time, and alleged that he was the victim of her "persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail."
One day after she filed the claim, Combs and Cassie came to an amicable resolution, and she dropped the lawsuit. "I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support," Cassie wrote. Combs said in his own statement that the decision had been agreed upon by both parties and that he had no ill will toward the singer.
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