Unraveling Lawsuits Against The Attorney

Once applauded for his work with Sean “Diddy” Combs’ accusers, Tony Buzbee is now under fire regarding lawsuits against him after Roc Nation shed light on the litigation. Buzbee has created quite the name for himself in connection to the dozens of alleged victims of Combs. The Texas native, whose real name is Anthony Busby, has operated his own firm for nearly 25 years. In the mid-2000s, he made a stamp on the public during an oil rig trial where he walked away victorious. However, it wasn’t until he went up against NFL star Deshaun Watson in 2021 that he became a national face for alleged victims of sexual assault.

If you recall, over 20 women accused the Cleveland Browns quarterback of sexual misconduct, with Buzbee at the helm. However, assault allegations aren’t the only cases Buzbee tackles. He was also the attorney behind the 120 victims of Travis Scott‘s Astroworld stampede that left 10 people dead in its aftermath. As his praise as a high-profile lawyer kicked up steam, Buzbee resurfaced again—this time, representing dozens of people who have filed civil lawsuits against Diddy as the Hip Hop mogul awaits trial behind bars. Diddy faces charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering, and in the wake of his fall from grace, Buzbee emerged with news that he would file civil lawsuits on behalf of his new clients against Combs.

The court of public opinion is fickle, especially pertaining to court cases against celebrities. Fanbases often choose sides, defend their favorite entertainers, and argue in comment sections of social media platforms. Yet, following the video of Diddy physically abusing his ex-girlfriend of 11 years, singer Cassie Ventura, the Bad Boy Records icon found himself a pariah among his fans and peers. After being denied bail three times, it’s clear that these charges against Diddy are beyond what the layman can comprehend.

Buzbee has been at the forefront, accusing Diddy of even more heinous crimes tied to allegations that he has sexually abused, drugged, and threatened over 100 people. According to the BBC, Buzbee shared that of the 300 stories he and his team screened, approximately 120 were “viable.” When Combs’ attorneys requested the identity of the anonymous accusers be revealed, Buzbee suggested it was a common tactic.

“It happens a lot,” said Buzbee. “If the plaintiff is forced to reveal her or his or her identity, Mr Combs hopes that they will quietly go away and never bring the claim again. The good news is, that’s not going to happen. That’s something I screened for… so if they’re forced to reveal their identity, they’ll reveal their identity, and we’ll keep pressing forward.”

While Diddy has only given brief statements of innocence through his legal team, Jay-Z didn’t opt for the same route when he found himself in Buzbee’s crosshairs. In October 2024, Buzbee filed a civil lawsuit against Diddy after his client claimed that when she was 13 years old in 2000, she was sexually assaulted following the MTV Video Music Awards. Jay-Z, real name Shawn Carter, wasn’t initially named in the suit. However, the attorney refiled, adding Hov as an alleged perpetrator alongside Combs. When the news made its way to headlines and quickly circulated worldwide, Carter bit back with a vengeance.

“My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee,” his statement began. “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!” Jay-Z went on to call the allegations “heinous” and questioned why Buzbee didn’t pursue a criminal complaint. “Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?”

That wasn’t the only statement shared via Roc Nation and Carter. They also brought up the lawsuits against Buzbee, filed by former clients. Particularly, they shed light on a 2024 suit by an anonymous woman who claimed Buzbee represented her during her divorce. According to the New York Post, the woman said she was “lured” into a sexual relationship with the lawyer, and in 2018, he gave her a sexually transmitted disease. She further alleged that Buzbee suppressed “the fact he had a venereal disease.”

“Defendant knew of the risk that he would pass the disease to Plaintiff if he did not take the appropriate precautions, and when that risk materialized,” the paperwork shows. “He manipulated her to protect himself from reputational harm using his status as a licensed attorney.” Moreover, Buzbee is accused of becoming “possessive” of the woman and then offering to work her case for free if she didn’t tell anyone about the alleged indiscretion. She also stated she continued her physical relationship with Buzbee “out of shame,” adding he was “the only sexual partner she would not have to inform of her venereal disease test results.”

The alleged victim also purported that Buzbee became violent with her after seeing her speaking with a man at a New York City bar. She said it left her “with two broken teeth,” and later, she accused him of manipulating “Plaintiff’s medical records to make it look as if he could not have been the one who infected her with a venereal disease.” Court documents state Buzbee was allegedly able to do this by changing the year that she was infected so that it would look as if it was her husband’s doing. She also accused him of blackmailing her before settling her divorce for far less than she should have been awarded.

In December 2024, Buzbee was again facing litigation after two law firms in Mississippi fired off suits. This time, the lawyer was accused of misappropriating funds and using unethical practices to pocket money from his clients. Adam Guidry was a captain in the U.S. Coast Guard when he was injured. Guidry was awarded a $350,000 settlement but was surprised when he saw that Buzbee and his law firm kept 74 percent of the judgment.

“Guidry was vulnerable. He had lost his job as a result of his injury, he was financially destitute, his marriage had failed, and he was struggling with addiction,” said Guidry’s complaint, per Law.com. The captain claimed he was “told his case was worth $1 million.” The complaint also declared that Buzbee and his firm “deducted $53,000 in fees and another $266,876 in ‘expenses’ and charged Guidry $23,571 interest on $85,450 in ‘loans.'” In the end, Guidry reportedly only collected $5,123, and it was never explained how those “expenses” were spent.

Further, Matthew Ray Thompson Jr. was a deckhand on a ship when he was injured. According to Law.com, Thompson claimed “he was entitled, as a ‘Jones Act Seaman,’ to interest-free monthly maintenance-and-cure payments while his lawsuit was pending.” However, Buzbee and his firm allegedly “deposited Thompson’s checks in its operating account and Thompson never received the funds.” Adding, “Rather than giving Mr. Thompson these funds, Defendants used Venmo to parse these funds out to Mr. Thompson and his wife in small amounts as high interest loans.”

Meanwhile, per Forbes, Buzbee has accused Jay-Z and Roc Nation of being behind his slew of recent lawsuits from former clients. The attorney claimed that the mega-mogul and his team have paid off his accusers and used intimidation tactics by “shadowy operatives” to harass plaintiffs. In a suit against Roc and Carter, Buzbee stated they were in “violation of various state laws, including barratry and impersonation of a public official.” A Roc Nation spokesperson said it was a “baloney lawsuit” and a “sham.” They continued, “It’s a pathetic attempt to distract and deflect attention. This sideshow won’t change the ultimate outcome and true justice will be served soon.”