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Quick Take
Following the arrest of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs for sex trafficking and other charges, social media users — including former President Donald Trump — shared a digitally altered photo that purports to show Combs with Vice President Kamala Harris. The original image actually shows Harris with then-talk show host Montel Williams in 2001.
Full Story
Rapper and record producer Sean Combs, also known by his stage name P. Diddy, was arrested in New York on Sept. 16 and charged with “racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution,” according to the indictment unsealed the following day.
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a Sept. 17 press conference, “The indictment alleges that between at least 2008 and the present, Combs abused, threatened, and coerced victims to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
On Sept. 17, Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges. The following day, U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter Jr. denied Combs’ petition for bail.
Since his arrest, social media users have spread an altered photo to baselessly claim a relationship between Combs and Vice President Kamala Harris.
A Sept. 21 Facebook post shared a photo which appears to show Combs and Harris posing together, along with the caption, “P. DIDDY & KAMALA ‘hanging out’ back in the day. Wonder if any ‘Crazy Stuff’ was going on then?”
The photo was also shared to Instagram with the caption, “Could this be our next president. A picture speaks 1000 words.”
Former President Donald Trump reposted the photo on Truth Social on Sept. 20, where it was captioned, “Madam Vice President, have you ever been involved with or engaged in one of Puff Daddies freak offs?” The post was later deleted.
But the photo shared on social media has been digitally altered. The original photo, taken May 18, 2001, shows Harris with then-talk show host Montel Williams at that year’s Race to Erase Multiple Sclerosis gala. The photo appears in a file of images taken by photographer Ron Galella for Getty Images. In the altered image shared to social media, Williams’ face has been replaced with Combs’ face.
Williams tweeted in 2019 that he and Harris had dated 20 years earlier.
This is not the first time Harris has been falsely linked to an accused sex-trafficker. In December 2023, social media users shared a digitally altered photo that appears to show Harris with Jeffrey Epstein, as we wrote. The original photo shows Harris with her husband, Doug Emhoff.
Editor’s note: FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on social media. Our previous stories can be found here. Facebook has no control over our editorial content.
Sources
Faheid, Dalia, and Kara Scannell. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to remain in custody after judge denies bail appeal in racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking case.” CNN. 18 Sep 2024.
Growcoot, Matt. “Trump Shares Doctored Photo of Kamala With Diddy Before Deleting It.” PetaPixel. 23 Sep 2024.
Hale Spencer, Saranac. “Posts Use Transposed Mugshot of Epstein to Target Kamala Harris.” FactCheck.org. 21 Dec 2024.
Jimmy Kimmel Live. “Trump WON’T STOP Pushing Pet Eating Lies, Oprah Surprises Audience and Clooney & Pitt Help Jimmy.” Video. YouTube. 17 Sep 2024.
Montel Williams @Montel_Williams. “@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?” X. 7 Aug 2019.
Scannell, Kate, et al. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs to remain in custody after judge denies bail appeal in racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking case.” CNN. 18 Sep 2024.
“Sean Combs Arrest Press Conference.” Transcript. Rev. 18 Sep 2024.
“Sean Combs Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Sex Trafficking And Other Federal Offenses.” Press Release. U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York. 17 Sep 2024.
Tolentino, Daysia. “Trump shares fake photo of Harris with Diddy in now-deleted Truth Social post.” NBC. 20 Sep 2024.