Diddy dropped his racial discrimination lawsuit against Diageo after accusing the spirits company of sidelining his Cîroc vodka and DeLeón tequila brands.
The embattled music mogul, whose once-celebrated career has hit the rocks since sexual assault allegations were leveled against him last year, has resolved his ongoing dispute with the British drinks company.
“Sean Combs and Diageo have agreed to resolve all disputes between them,” Diddy and Diageo said Tuesday in a joint statement to the Times.
“Mr. Combs has withdrawn all of his allegations about Diageo and will voluntarily dismiss his claims against Diageo with prejudice,” the statement said, meaning he cannot refile them.
The joint statement added that Combs and Diageo now “do not have any ongoing business relationship with respect to either Cîroc vodka or DeLeón tequila, which is now the sole property of Diageo.”
A document titled “Stipulation Staying Action with Prejudice” was filed with the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan on Tuesday, The Times confirmed. The document, obtained by The Times, was signed by attorneys for Combs Wines and Spirits LLC, Diageo North America Inc. and third-party defendant CE Spirits LLC and said the actions, cross-claims and counterclaims between them have been “hereby discontinued.” ”with prejudice and “without costs for any of the parties against the other.”
According to Diageo, in 2007 the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment signed an agreement with Diageo, co-owner of his liquor brands, to market the Cîroc premium vodka brand and paid him almost a billion dollars over the years.
Last June, Combs, 54, sued Diageo, alleging that the spirits giant “halted” sales growth of its Cîroc and DeLeón labels for nearly a decade and starved them of resources while it better marketed other brands such as Don Julio and Casamigos.
Diddy's Combs Wines and Spirits LLC alleged in the lawsuit that Diageo treated its DeLeon tequila and Cîroc vodka as inferior “black brands” or “ethnic brands” that should be aimed at “urban” consumers.
The hip-hop mogul sought an injunction “to provide the equal treatment” he said Diageo “contractually promised” and intended to seek “billions of dollars in damages due to Diageo's negligence and breaches.” ” in a separate lawsuit.
Diageo filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit days later and announced it would sever ties with Combs in their Cîroc partnership and the DeLeón joint venture. The company claimed that the “I'll Be Missing You” rapper had breached his contract.
In November, after Diddy's ex-girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, accused him of rape and abuse in a lawsuit (and three more women came forward with additional allegations of sexual abuse), Diageo filed a letter with the court saying that “ These public statements and disturbing allegations against Mr. Combs are already harming DeLeón by virtue of his association with Mr. Combs with the tequila brand.” (Diddy and Ventura settled the lawsuit a day after she brought the abuse allegations to court; he has denied wrongdoing in the other cases.)
The withdrawn lawsuit is the latest action affecting the famous producer. In November, Combs resigned as president of Revolt TV, the media company he co-founded in 2013.
Last week, his rep confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that he would not attend the annual Grammy Awards next month despite being nominated for his “The Love Album: Off the Grid” after a two-decade nomination drought.
Times staff writer Stacy Perman contributed to this report.
