Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sends cease-and-desist from jail to former protégé Shyne over new Hulu doc
Sean “Diddy” Combs has sent a cease-and-desist letter over a new documentary about his onetime protégé, Shyne.
A source said that Diddy is not trying to block the release of the film — but was looking to “ensure” that the facts were straight after Shyne alleged that he took the fall for Diddy over an infamous case 25 years ago.
A rep for the film — made by ESPN’s Andscape — did not immediately comment. But sources close to Diddy as well as the film confirmed that the cease-and-desist had been sent.
Born Jamal Barrow, Shyne was infamously at a Manhattan nightclub in 1999 with his pal and boss, Diddy, and the Bad Boy Records founder’s then-gal pal, Jennifer Lopez.
An altercation broke out between Combs and another man when guns were drawn, shots were fired and three bystanders were injured. Shyne and Combs went on trial in 2001, but only his protégé was convicted of assault and reckless endangerment.
Shyne, who is now a politician in Belize, served eight years in jail.
In the new doc, Shyne says Combs’ ways are now “coming to light,” and that he thinks he was the “fall guy” for the Sean John founder. “Because when I said it [at the time], everyone was partying and having a great time with Diddy while I was left to rot in prison,” he says in the film that follows his journey from a short-lived rapping career to becoming a politician.
He previously told The Post of his conviction: “I grew up [being told] to not get my friends in trouble. And that’s what it really boiled down to, integrity about character.”
He said in an interview promoting the film that he believed he was protecting Diddy, but claims the hitmaker, “got witnesses to testify against me, to say that basically I was this uncontrollable person that was acting in a depraved manner, which was the furtherest from the truth.”
He said he did not want to, “break the code of honor, which is that you don’t get people in trouble.”
Diddy’s reps blasted his comments, telling Page Six: “Mr. Combs categorically denies Mr. Barrow’s allegations, including any suggestion that he orchestrated Mr. Barrow to ‘take the fall’ or ‘sacrificed’ him by directing witnesses to testify against him. These claims are unequivocally false.”
The reps added: “Mr. Combs was acquitted of all charges related to the [1999 incident] and has consistently maintained his innocence,” and, “Mr. Combs appreciates the path Mr. Barrow has pursued and wishes him continued success. It is unfortunate that Mr. Barrow has chosen to revisit these allegations.”
The Nov. 18 release of Shyne’s documentary comes after Combs was arrested in September on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The Diddy empire began to unravel a year ago when his ex, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape and physical abuse during their decade-long relationship. Combs denied any wrongdoing and settled with the singer a day later.
The three-time Grammy winner, who is being held in a notorious Brooklyn jail, has also been hit with a slew of shocking suits accusing him of sexual abuse — though he continues to adamantly maintain his innocence and pleaded not guilty in his case.
For his part, Shyne was deported to his native Belize in 2009 following his release from prison, where he says he found religion. He traveled to Israel in 2010 and became an Orthodox Jew before moving back to Belize in 2013 and reconnecting with his father, a former prime minister.
Shyne is today the Leader of the Opposition in the Belize House of Representatives and the leader of the Belize United Democratic Party.
