TD Jakes’ relationship with Diddy under scrutiny again in wake of raid, lawsuits
The relationship between televangelist T.D. Jakes and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has come under renewed public scrutiny following raids on two of Combs’ homes Monday by federal agents and a recent lawsuit filed by Christian music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones alleging a slew of sex, gun and drug crimes.
Rumors that emerged last December about Jakes and Combs’ relationship continued to endure afresh online Wednesday, days after federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations raided Combs’ homes in California and Florida as part of a sex trafficking investigation.
In his 98-page lawsuit filed in U.S District Court for the Southern District of New York that was amended this week, Jones alleged that he was sexually harassed, drugged and threatened by Combs while he lived and worked with Combs from September 2022 to November 2023.
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The lawsuit also names as defendants actor Cuba Gooding Jr., Combs’ adult son, Justin; his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram; Universal Music Group CEO Sir Lucian Grainge; and former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam.
Jakes is not named as a defendant but is mentioned once in the civil suit.
Jones claims he recorded hours of video and audio of Combs, his staff and others “engaging in serious illegal activity,” including drug use, shootings and sex crimes.
Among the recordings he allegedly made, Jones lists one of “Combs detailing how he planned to leverage his relationship with Bishop T.D. Jakes to soften the impact on his public image of Cassie Ventura’s lawsuit.”
“Mr. Combs providing laced alcoholic beverages to minors and sex workers at his homes in California, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Florida. Mr. Combs Chief of Staff, Kristina Khorram ('KK') instructing her staff to retrieve drugs so she can provide it to Mr. Combs for his consumption, Christian Combs drugging and sexually assaulting a woman. Mr. Combs detailing how he planned to leverage his relationship with Bishop T.D. Jakes to soften the impact on his public image of Cassie Ventura’s lawsuit,” the lawsuit notes.
In 2022, a video of Jakes attending Diddy's 53rd birthday party in Los Angeles caused a stir among Christians on social media with many questioning why he was at the party and whether it was appropriate for him to be attending a party thrown by Diddy, knowing the reputation of those parties.
Derrick Williams, executive vice president of TD Jakes Entertainment, who was also in attendance at the party, previously told CP that the video was captured during a brief stop at the party while they were on business in the area. Another source close to the situation also told CP that, as far as they are aware, that is the only party hosted by Diddy that Jakes ever attended.
"As a filmmaker, executive producer and one of the pioneers of value-based movies, Bishop Jakes, in his role as CEO of T.D. Jakes Entertainment, paid respect to the former chairman of Revolt during the celebration of his birthday," Williams said.
"Bishop Jakes was in LA for important business meetings, and we felt that a quick appearance at the former chairman of Revolt's birthday event was the respectful thing to do since Bishop Jakes' sermons are aired on the Revolt Network," he explained.
"We both greeted the family, Bishop Jakes recorded a brief celebratory birthday video and left immediately to take our other scheduled meetings. Any accusation to the contrary is wholly unsubstantiated, unverified, and false," Williams insisted.
When asked for comment from Jakes in response to Diddy boasting about being able to “leverage” his relationship with the famous pastor to insulate his public image from the allegations, Jordan A. Hora, executive director of public relations and communications for the T.D. Jakes Group, T.D. Jakes Ministries and The Potter's House, told The Christian Post on Wednesday that she could not immediately comment.
Hora also declined commenting on the status of Jakes' deal with Revolt TV now that Diddy has sold all of his shares in the company to an anonymous buyer.
Last December, representatives for Jakes, who leads The Potter's House megachurch in Dallas, Texas, dismissed as "unequivocally false and baseless" an unverified report casting innuendo about his sexuality and accusing him of being a frequent participant at sex parties hosted by Combs.
An unnamed source told Tuff News TV that R&B singer Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, had turned over to investigators a burner phone that belonged to Kim Porter, the late model and mother of Diddy's children, who died in 2018.
Cassie, who settled a lawsuit last November in which she accused Combs of rape and repeated physical abuse over nearly a decade, allegedly shared a USB device containing recordings of Diddy's alleged "sex parties," where he reportedly hosted several powerful people, including Jakes.
Like Jakes, Jones, who is seeking $30 million in his civil suit, identifies himself as a Christian who started pursuing his career in gospel music working with Christian artists and groups such as Georgia Mass Choir, Donald Lawrence, The Clark Sisters and The Smokie Norful.
After just over a year of pursuing a business relationship with Diddy, however, he claims he was forced to have sex with prostitutes for Diddy’s enjoyment and introduced to gay sex.
“Throughout his time living with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones was the victim of constant unsolicited and unauthorized groping and touching of his anus by Mr. Combs. These events took place in LA, NY, FL, and the United States Virgin Islands. In addition to the unsolicited and unauthorized touching, Mr. Jones was forced by Mr. Combs to work in Mr. Combs' bathroom as Mr. Combs walked around naked and showered in a clear glass enclosure,” the lawsuit claims.
“As a heterosexual Christian man, Mr. Jones was uncomfortable with Mr. Combs’ advances and expressed his discomfort to Mr. Combs Chief of Staff, Kristina Khorram ('KK'),” the filing continues. “KK responded to Mr. Jones complaint with, ‘you know, Sean will be Sean.’ KK also attempted to downplay Mr. Combs groping of Mr. Jones' anus and genitals as friendly horseplay, stating that those acts were Mr. Combs way of ‘showing that he likes you [Mr. Jones].’”
Jones further alleged that Combs wielded a lot of power in the music and business world by recording celebrities and high-powered executives engaging in compromising behavior at his infamous parties.
He alleges that because Combs was aware of his admiration for music producer Stevie J, he tried to groom him into engaging in homosexuality by showing him a video of Stevie J having sex with another man.
“This was done to ease Mr. Jones’ anxiety concerning homosexuality. According to Mr. Combs, ‘this is a normal practice in the music industry, look even Stevie J is doing it.’ Mr. Combs informed Mr. Jones that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with rapper5 (REDACTED), R&B singer (REDACTED), and Stevie J,” the lawsuit alleges.
“Mr. Combs promised to make sure that Mr. Jones wins producer of the year at the Grammys if he engaged in homosexuality.”
Jones alleges in his lawsuit that Combs recorded many celebrities at his parties without their consent and is using those recordings as leverage against them.
“While living and traveling with Mr. Combs, Mr. Jones discovered that Mr. Combs has hidden cameras in every room of his homes. Mr. Jones believes that Mr. Combs has recordings of Defendants Lucian Charles Grainge, Ethiopia Habtemariam, as well as other celebrities, music label executives, politicians, and athletes,” the lawsuit says.
“Upon information and belief, these individuals were recorded without their knowledge and consent, and as is the case with the homosexual sex tape of Stevie J that Mr. Combs provided to Mr. Jones, Mr. Combs possesses compromising footage of every person that has attended his freak off parties, and his house parties,” Jones alleges.
“Upon information and belief, due to this treasure trove of evidence he has in his possession, Mr. Combs believes that he is above the law and is untouchable.”
Though a total of five civil lawsuits have been filed against Combs alleging sexual misconduct, no criminal charges have been filed against the music mogul.
In a statement to ABC 7 Tuesday, a representative for Combs called the lawsuits against him “meritless” and the raid a “witch hunt.”
"Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated. Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities,” the statement said.
“Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way. This unprecedented ambush -- paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence -- leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name."
Reacting to the unverified report last Christmas Eve, Jakes called his accusers “liars” and noted that even “if everything was true, all I got to do is repent sincerely from my heart.”
“The worst that could happen, if everything was true, all I got to do is repent sincerely, from my heart. There's enough power in the blood to cover all kinds of sin. I don't care what it is, the blood would fix it. But I ain't got to repent about this,” Jakes declared.
“All I got to do is step over top of it and keep on going on. I'm not in trouble. I'm talking about the power of the blood. Amen. Thank you, Jesus. I have used it, and I will use it again. But I ain't gotta use it for that. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Whenever I need it, it's available to me. And it's available to you. And you can have it when you need it. But you don't have to plead the blood if you didn't do the crime.”
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