Diddy Accused of Owing Lawyers Unpaid Fees as Attorneys Seek to Withdraw From Lawsuit

Published 18 Sep 2026 at 1:59 PM

by Tayananiswa Zvikaramba

3 min read

Attorneys representing Sean 'Diddy' Combs in a civil lawsuit filed a request to withdraw from the case
The lawyers claim Combs owes a substantial amount in unpaid legal fees and has been difficult to reach for months
Combs pushed back through a spokesperson, offering a very different explanation for the breakdown in their relationship

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Diddy accused of owing lawyers unpaid fees as attorneys seek to withdraw from lawsuit — Diddy faced non-payment allegations. Image: Al Bello, Astrid Stawiarz
Source: Getty Images

Sean "Diddy" Combs appears to be at odds with his own legal team, and the fallout has now spilled into open court. Attorneys representing the imprisoned music mogul have formally asked a judge for permission to withdraw from a civil lawsuit, pointing to unpaid legal fees and a strained working relationship as their reasons for leaving.

Attorney Michael Tremonte told the court that Combs owes a "substantial" amount in outstanding fees and has not made a single payment since late 2025. Beyond the money issue, Tremonte said the legal team has struggled to get timely responses from Combs for more than four months. The attorneys also requested the right to hold on to certain case documents and materials until the outstanding balance is cleared.

Diddy responds to lawyers' allegations

Combs, who was previously in solitary confinement, is not accepting that version of events. Speaking through a spokesperson, he said he chose to move on from the legal team because he believed they were billing him for expenses he had never approved. Tremonte flatly rejected that explanation, standing by his account that the invoices are legitimate and that Combs had grown difficult to work with.

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The lawsuit at the centre of this dispute is one Combs himself filed against Nexstar Media, Ariel Mitchell and Courtney Burgess, relating to statements made on NewsNation's Banfield programme. Combs alleges the broadcast contained false claims about him.

Peeps react to Diddy not paying his lawyers

All of this is unfolding while Combs serves a 50-month federal prison sentence after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

After The Shade Room shared news of the legal dispute online, commenters were quick to weigh in.

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@suprem3_court wrote:

"They must not have seen the documentary cuz he ain't paid no one since Biggie 😂😂😂"

@kimmymar said:

"This dude doesn't like paying folks, I see 🤦🏽‍♀️"

@kimmie_thegreat asked:

"Who is handling his finances? That's the real question."

@wog_kt07 joked:

"Diddy finessed them 😂😂😂. He won his case basically, and they are no longer needed."

@juicee_koko noted:

"Sounds about right. But y'all thought those people were lying on that documentary because they're just not saying something."

@airjeff__ quipped:

"It's overcharging when the outcome doesn't support the income 😂🤦🏿‍♂️"

@hood_hippie0587 added:

"Diddy Jr. better get out there & dance. Get his daddy a GoFundMe or somethin. 🤷🏽‍♀️"

@rollingwithmelia wrote:

"He ain't learned jack yet, your honour. I see he has a problem with paying ppl their money."

Diddy’s release date moves up again

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Sean 'Diddy' Combs' projected release date from Fort Dix shifted forward again, now landing in early February 2028, despite him landing in solitary confinement after a brawl.