Diddy's associate

Photo Credit: Daniel L. Lu / CC by 4.0

A federal judge in California ruled in favor of Diddy’s mother Janice’s motion to dismiss, with entitlement to recover the Combs family’s legal fees.

Janice Smalls Combs, mother of Sean “Diddy” Combs, successfully saw the case against her dismissed last week by a federal judge in California. Judge Percy Anderson of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California dismissed the case in its entirety.

The case was filed by Deon “D1” Best, who operated under the business names Finish Line Entertainment and Dee Mac Music. His filing alleged violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

On September 19, Judge Anderson dismissed Best’s federal RICO claims with prejudice, meaning they cannot be refiled in federal court. While Best can still opt to pursue his claims in state court, Combs’ team and legal experts find this unlikely.

Notably, the ruling determined that Best “shall take nothing” from the lawsuit, while Janice Combs and her publishing companies—Janice Combs Publishing and Janice Combs Publishing Holdings—are entitled to recover their legal costs.

Neither party has issued a statement on the decision, but Combs’ legal team has hinted at satisfaction with the court’s ruling.

Meanwhile, Diddy himself remains behind bars, awaiting sentencing in an October 3 hearing. His legal team has been busy advocating for his release, while swatting away the plethora of civil cases filed against him in recent months.

The latest case against Combs comes from the Bad Boy mogul’s former stylist, Deonte Nash, who alleges sexual assault in a Los Angeles filing. Nash previously testified against Diddy in his high-profile criminal trial over the summer.

According to Nash, Diddy sexually abused him between 2008 and 2018 while he worked for him and his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. Nash asserts Diddy used his power and influence in the entertainment industry to keep him silent.

That lawsuit comes on the heels of Combs’ legal team submitting a massive 182-page memo arguing for a lenient sentence, with character letters from celebrities including Yung Miami and Stevie J, and members of the Combs family.