The connection between televangelist TD Jakes and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has come underneath renewed public scrutiny following Monday's raids by federal brokers at two of Combs' properties and the current lawsuit filed by Christian music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones over his alleged homicide. sexual, gun and drug crimes.
Rumors that surfaced final December about Jakes and Combs' relationship continued persist online again Wednesday, days after federal brokers with Homeland Safety Investigations raided Combs' properties in California and Florida as a part of a sex-trafficking investigation.
In his 73-page lawsuit filed final month within the U.S. District Courtroom for the Southern District of New York, Jones alleged that he was sexually harassed, drugged and threatened by Combs whereas residing and dealing with Combs from September 2022 to November 2023.
The swimsuit additionally names as defendants Combs' grownup son, Justin; his chief of employees Kristina Khorram; Common Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Data govt Ethiopia Habtemariam.
Jakes will not be named as a defendant, however is talked about as soon as within the civil lawsuit.
Jones claims he recorded hours of video and audio of Combs, his staff and others “partaking in critical criminality,” together with drug use, shootings and intercourse crimes.
Among the many tapes he allegedly made, Jones lists one of many “combs detailing how he deliberate to make use of his relationship with Bishop TD Jakes to melt the impression on his public picture of the Cassie Ventura lawsuit.”
“Mr. Combs offering laced alcoholic drinks to minors and prostitutes at his properties in California, New York, the US Virgin Islands and Florida. Mr. Combs' Chief of Employees Kristina Khorram ('KK') instructs her employees to acquire medicine so she will present Mr. Combs for consumption, Christian Combs drugged and sexually assaulted a girl. Mr. Combs particulars how he deliberate to make use of his relationship with Bishop TD Jakes to mitigate the impression on his public picture of Cassie Ventura's lawsuit,” the lawsuit states.
In 2022, a video of Jakes at Diddy's 53rd party in Los Angeles brought about an uproar amongst Christians on social media, with many questioning why he was on the celebration and whether or not it was applicable for him to attend a celebration hosted by Diddy, figuring out the repute of the events.
Derrick Williams, govt vice chairman of TD Jakes Leisure, who additionally attended the celebration, beforehand informed CP that the video was taken throughout a short cease on the celebration whereas they have been within the space on enterprise. One other supply near the state of affairs additionally informed CP that so far as they know, that is the one celebration hosted by Diddy that Jakes has ever attended.
“As a filmmaker, govt producer and one of many pioneers of value-oriented movies, Bishop Jakes, in his function as CEO of TD Jakes Leisure, paid tribute to the previous Revolt chairman throughout his birthday celebration,” stated Williams.
“Bishop Jakes was in LA for necessary enterprise conferences and we felt {that a} fast look on the former Revolt Chairman's birthday occasion was respectful as Bishop Jakes' sermons are broadcast on the Revolt Community,” he defined.
“We each greeted the household, Bishop Jakes recorded a brief video of the birthday celebration and instantly left to attend our different scheduled conferences. Any allegation on the contrary is totally unfounded, unverified and false,” Williams insisted.
When Jakes was requested for remark in response to Diddy bragging about having the ability to “leverage” his relationship with the well-known pastor to guard his public picture from the allegations, Jordan A. Hora, govt director of public affairs and communications for TD Jakes Group TD Jakes Ministries and The Potter's Home informed The Christian Submit on Wednesday that she couldn’t instantly remark.
Hora additionally declined to touch upon the standing of Jakes' cope with Revolt TV now that Diddy has bought all of his inventory within the firm to an nameless purchaser.
Final December, representatives for Jakes, who leads The Potter's Home mega-choir in Dallas, Texas, dismissed as “unequivocally false and unsubstantiated” an unverified report alluding to his sexuality and accusing him of frequenting Combs' intercourse events.
An unnamed supply informed Tuff Information TV that R&B singer Cassie, whose actual identify is Casandra Ventura, handed over to investigators a cigarette lighter that belonged to Kim Porter, the late mannequin and mom of Diddy's kids who died in 2018.
Cassie, who final November settled a lawsuit accusing Combs of rape and repeated bodily abuse over almost a decade, allegedly shared a USB machine containing recordings of Diddy's alleged “intercourse events,” the place he allegedly hosted a number of highly effective individuals, together with Jakes.
Like Jakes, Jones, who’s searching for $30 million within the civil swimsuit, identifies as a Christian who started his gospel music profession working with Christian artists and teams such because the Georgia Mass Choir, Donald Lawrence, The Clark Sisters and The Smokie Norful. .
Nevertheless, after greater than a yr of doing enterprise with Diddy, he claims he was pressured to have intercourse with prostitutes for Diddy's pleasure and launched to homosexual intercourse.
“In the course of the time he lived with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones was the sufferer of fixed unsolicited and unauthorized groping and groping of his anus by Mr. Combs.” These occasions came about in LA, NY, FL and the US Virgin Islands. Along with the undesirable and unauthorized touching, Mr. Jones was pressured by Mr. Combs to work in Mr. Combs' lavatory whereas Mr. Combs walked round bare and showered in a transparent glass enclosure,” the lawsuit alleges.
“As a heterosexual Christian, Mr. Jones was displeased with Mr. Combs' conduct and expressed his concern to Mr. Combs' chief of employees, Kristina Khorram ('KK'),” the submitting continues. “KK responded to Mr. Jones' grievance by saying, 'You realize, Sean will probably be Sean.' KK additionally tried to minimize Mr Combs' groping of Mr Jones's anus and genitalia as pleasant play, saying the actions have been Mr Combs' means of “displaying he likes you”. [Mr. Jones].'”
Jones additional claimed that Combs wielded nice energy within the music and enterprise world by recording celebrities and high-powered executives partaking in compromising conduct at his notorious events.
He claims that as a result of Combs was conscious of his admiration for file producer Stevie J, he tried to set him up for homosexuality by displaying him a video of Stevie J having intercourse with one other man.
“This was executed to ease Mr. Jones' fears about homosexuality. In line with Mr. Combs, “that is regular follow within the music business, look Stevie J does it too.” Mr. Combs knowledgeable Mr. Jones that he had intercourse with rapper 5 (REDACTED), R&B singer (REDACTED), and Stevie J,” the lawsuit alleges.
“Mr. Combs promised to ensure Mr. Jones received Producer of the Yr on the Grammys if he grew to become concerned in homosexuality.”
Jones claims in his lawsuit that Combs recorded many celebrities at his events with out their consent and is utilizing the recordings as leverage towards them.
“Whereas residing and touring with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones found that Mr. Combs had hidden cameras in each room of his house. “Mr. Jones believes that Mr. Combs has recordings of defendants Lucian Charles Grainge, Ethiopia Habtemariam, in addition to different celebrities, music label executives, politicians and athletes,” the lawsuit states.
“Based mostly on info and perception, these people have been recorded with out their information and consent, and as with the Stevie J homosexual intercourse tape that Mr. Combs offered to Mr. Jones, Mr. Combs has incriminating footage of all the people who attended his loopy events and his home events,” claims Jones.
“On info and perception, with this treasure trove of proof in his possession, Mr. Combs believes he’s above the legislation and untouchable.”
Though a complete of 5 civil sexual abuse lawsuits have been filed towards Combs, no felony fees have been filed towards the music mogul.
In a press release to ABC 7 on Tuesday, a consultant for Combs referred to as the lawsuits towards him “baseless” and the raid a “witch hunt.”
“There was a gross, military-grade use of power yesterday when search warrants have been executed at Mr. Combs' residences. There is no such thing as a excuse for the extreme use of power and hostility by the authorities or the best way his kids and employees have been handled.” Mr. Combs was by no means taken into custody, however he spoke with and cooperated with authorities,” the assertion stated.
“Regardless of media hypothesis, Mr. Combs and none of his relations have been arrested and their skill to journey has not been restricted in any means. This unprecedented raid – coupled with a complicated, coordinated media presence – results in a untimely rush to Mr. Combs' trial and is nothing greater than a witch hunt primarily based on baseless allegations made in civil lawsuits. No felony or civil legal responsibility has been established for any of those allegations. Mr. Combs is harmless and can struggle every single day to clear his identify.”
In response to the unverified report final Christmas, Jakes referred to as his accusers “liars” and famous that even when “it's all true, all I’ve to do is sincerely repent from my coronary heart.”
“The worst that might occur, if every little thing have been true, all I’ve to do is repent sincerely, from the guts. There may be sufficient energy within the blood to cowl all types of sins. I don't care what it’s, blood would repair it. However I don't need to repent of it,” Jakes acknowledged.
“All I’ve to do is recover from it and transfer on. I’ve no drawback. I'm speaking concerning the energy of blood. Amen. Thanks, Jesus. I’ve used it and can use it once more. However I don't want to make use of it for that. Thanks, Jesus. Thanks, Jesus. She is obtainable at any time when I want her. And it’s accessible to you. And you’ll have it while you want it. However you don't need to beg for blood in the event you haven't dedicated the crime.”
Contact: leonardo.blair@christianpost.com Comply with Leonard Blair on Twitter: @lebloir Comply with Leonard Blair on Fb: LeoBlairChristianPost