Explosive footage of Diddy shortly before his arrest appears in the Netflix documentary. The filmmakers remain silent about the source. What’s behind it?
Rapper 50 Cent’s new Netflix documentary “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” features previously unreleased material from the former music mogul. The four-part documentary series “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” deals intensively with the life of Sean “Diddy” Combs. She traces the rise and fall of the formerly successful rapper in detail.
Exclusive footage shortly before the arrest
The documentary also shows videos and statements that show Sean “Diddy” Combs shortly before his arrest. The then 54-year-old had a camera team accompany him in the days before the indictment and produced this exclusive material himself. How rapper and producer of the documentary 50 Cent obtained this video footage and was able to publish it is currently unclear – but according to Netflix, it was done legally.
Documentary filmmaker on the origin of the material
Combs’ team has already issued a statement regarding the transfer of the material and claims to know the names responsible. Documentary filmmaker Michael Oberlies spoke to Deadline and said he was part of a production team that was planning its own documentary about Combs. “The footage in question was not released by me or anyone authorized to edit Sean Combs’ material; it was obtained by a third party who represented me for three days while I was out of town,” said Michael Oberlies. He is referring to scenes that show Combs in strategic meetings with his legal team in the days before his arrest in September 2024.
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Combs threatened legal consequences
In his statement, however, Oberlies did not explicitly speak of a legal violation through the use of the material: it was simply “unethical and unacceptable.” Combs had previously claimed that the video footage was in fact obtained and used unlawfully. Combs’ spokespeople indicated that she is currently reviewing her legal options and that a lawsuit could be imminent. Netflix boss Ted Sarandos was accused of merely enabling 50 Cent’s “retaliatory action” against Combs with the “Reckoning” documentary.
Netflix defends the documentary
The media company has now firmly rejected these allegations. A statement from a Netflix spokesperson said the footage was obtained legally: “The claims about ‘Sean Combs: The Reckoning’ are false.” It continued: “It is neither a smear campaign nor an act of revenge.” Documentary director Alexandria Stapleton also commented on the allegations: “The material came to us, we acquired it legally and have the necessary rights.”
Combs is serving time in prison
The last part of the four-part documentary series is also intended to provide a closer insight into the production of the unveiling documentary. The 56-year-old rapper is currently serving his 50-month sentence at Fort Dix Prison in New Jersey.