NBC is pushing back against Sean “Diddy” Combs’ $100 million defamation lawsuit, arguing that The Making of a Bad Boy could not have damaged the music mogul’s reputation because, in the network’s view, his public downfall was already self-inflicted. In a newly filed motion to dismiss, highlighted by AllHipHop, NBC points to Combs’ own statements at his federal sentencing, where he was partially convicted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, as evidence that he acknowledged destroying his career long before the documentary aired.

At sentencing, Combs told the judge, “Because of my decisions, I lost my freedom… I lost my career. I totally destroyed my reputation.” NBC argues this admission directly undermines the lawsuit’s core premise, insisting the documentary did not cause reputational harm he had already publicly claimed. However, Combs’ team says the network is mischaracterizing the remark and avoiding the real issue, whether the film was produced responsibly. His publicist, Juda Engelmayer, told VIBE that the lawsuit challenges NBC’s publication of allegations that were “factually unsupported,” contradicted by official records, or sourced from unreliable individuals.

Filed in February 2025, the lawsuit accuses NBCUniversal of acting “maliciously and recklessly” by airing claims that portrayed Combs as a near-demonic figure and linked him without evidence to the deaths of Kim Porter, The Notorious B.I.G., and Heavy D. Combs’ attorneys say the film sensationalized unverified accusations, prioritizing speed and shock value—supported, they argue, by the producer’s own admission of a rushed turnaround. A judge has not yet ruled on NBC’s motion to dismiss as the high-profile legal battle continues to unfold.