Sean “Diddy” Combs has launched a blistering attack on Netflix over its upcoming docuseries, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, accusing the streaming giant of producing a “shameful hit piece” built on unauthorised and “stolen” footage. The backlash erupted just a day before the documentary’s scheduled premiere, with Combs’ representatives issuing a strongly-worded statement challenging both the content and legality of the project, according to Variety.

In the statement, Combs’ team alleges that Netflix used private and unreleased material without permission — including highly sensitive conversations with his lawyers. They argue that Combs has spent decades documenting his life with the intention of telling his story on his own terms, making the alleged misappropriation both “unfair” and “illegal.”

The statement reads in part:
“Netflix’s so-called ‘documentary’ is a shameful hit piece… Netflix relied on stolen footage that was never authorized for release… It is fundamentally unfair, and illegal, for Netflix to misappropriate that work.”

Combs’ team further criticises the streaming platform for allegedly prioritising sensationalism over truth, while also condemning the decision to grant creative control to Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson — described as a “longtime adversary” with a “personal vendetta.”

Beyond the legal battle, Combs says the move represents a personal betrayal, claiming he had long respected Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and admired the legacy of the late Clarence Avant. Entrusting his life story to someone he believes has “publicly attacked him for decades,” he says, is “a deeply personal affront.”

As the controversy intensifies, questions loom over the documentary’s release and the potential legal showdown that could follow.