At a press conference earlier this week, Tony Buzbee promised to prosecute anyone involved in the sex trafficking case for which P. Diddy is accused. It now represents 120 new alleged victims.
In 2013, he was described by the “New York Times” as “a great Texas lawyer, ambitious, nasty, tenacious and fiery, the kind you see on posters.” So when Tuesday 1is October, he invited the media to a press conference, everyone knew they were preparing for a big announcement. At the lectern on which the logo of the firm that bears his name was printed, Tony Buzbee, in a black suit and pink tie, spoke for nearly 40 minutes.
The lawyer said he now represented 120 alleged victims of P. Diddy, accused of being at the head of vast sex trafficking. In total, he explained, 3,000 people contacted him. He managed to put together files for 120 of them with supporting evidence, including as many women as men and 25 minors including a 9-year-old boy.
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All were allegedly abused by the billionaire rapper now incarcerated in the Bronx awaiting trial. Some of the alleged acts allegedly took place during P. Diddy’s famous parties, those where Hollywood stars sometimes flocked. But also in private residences where, according to the police report revealed last September, “freak offs” were held, parties which sometimes lasted for days during which women and men were allegedly drugged and forced to participate in sexual practices. “Some of this behavior happened in hotels that we are all familiar with. You should know that more than 55% of victims filed complaints and reported this behavior to the police or hospitals…many of those who actually sought medical treatment were drug tested and drugs were found in their organism. Strange drugs. Drugs you’ve probably never heard of. One in particular that continues to pop up is xylazine or ‘tranq’, which our research shows is known as a horse tranquilizer,” the attorney explained.
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According to him, Sean Combs, his real name, manipulated his victims into believing that they could sign for his label Bad Boy Records. Recounting the stories of several people, Tony Buzbee promised that when the time comes, “we will reveal the names, other than Sean Combs, and there are many.” The list is long. But before that, because of the nature of this case, we’re going to make sure we’re right.” “The entertainment industry’s biggest secret, which wasn’t really a secret, has just been revealed to the world. But we also need to include the companies that have benefited from this culture and attitudes. I’m talking about you, the banks, the pharmaceutical companies, the hotels.”
A well-filled CV
A serious warning that those concerned cannot ignore. Tony Buzbee is indeed no stranger to major media affairs. He was notably, in 2023, the lawyer of Ken Paxton, the Attorney General of Texas, close to Donald Trump, accused of abuse of power, corruption, and even influence peddling with the aim of favoring a local entrepreneur. While the elected officials had voted for his dismissal, he was finally acquitted by the Senate, during a trial which according to the media “Chron” had been “an opportunity for Buzbee to show his talents as a lawyer, in particular his strategy of noisy interrogations, his illustrated slideshows and his Shakespearean proclamations. » He even took advantage of the hearings to reestablish the truth concerning the color of his skin, accusing photographers to make him look more tanned than he actually is: “You think the media isn’t biased? »
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“For many people, Buzbee is the one they call when they have done something bad and want to turn it around for good,” the Galveston County Daily News once wrote. A description that seems to suit him since it is listed on his website. You can also read the quote from the musician Michael Corcoran, who said of him: “A competitor? No, Michael Jordan is a competitor. Tony Buzbee is a weirdo. He is obsessed with winning.”
Something to worry the suspects. Especially since the Texan lawyer is not afraid to attack the powerful. It was in particular he who represented several victims after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. After the explosion, Tony Buzbee filed a lawsuit against BP on behalf of more than 10,000 individuals and businesses, including fishermen, shrimpers and other workers affected by the oil spill. The complaint alleged that BP was negligent in its management of the well and that the company’s actions caused significant harm to the environment and local communities. “Buzbee’s efforts were ultimately successful and BP agreed to pay billions of dollars in compensation and cleanup costs,” the firm’s website says.
As for P. Diddy, he is not the first celebrity to be in the lawyer’s sights. In 2022, he represented a group of 22 women who filed sexual misconduct lawsuits against Cleveland Browns football star Deshaun Watson. The case ended with an amicable settlement. He also deals with 4 people accusing singer Chris Brown and his team of violence during a concert in Texas. The case is ongoing. Another media file, that of the tragedy of Astroworld, a festival organized by Travis Scott during which 120 people were injured or died during a crowd movement. He demanded, on behalf of at least one victim who died of asphyxiation, $750 million in compensation. Here again, an agreement “remained confidential” was reached between the two parties. “The name displayed on this building is synonymous with honor, sacrifice and courage,” says former Governor Rick Perry, whom the lawyer once defended.
He does not escape criticism
But Tony Buzbee, an Army veteran and unsuccessful candidate for Houston mayor, is not without controversy. On the Reddit site, while an Internet user wonders why “he is not appreciated in Houston”, the answers describe him as a man above all interested in money, who has “stick his nose in stories that we the residents did not want to hear about it”, “his position on issues depends on where the money comes from, he has no principles”.
In 2017, he was notably talked about for allegedly suing the wrong company after a fatal explosion on a drilling platform in New Orleans. “Personal injury lawyers often rush to file lawsuits after massive industrial accidents, fatal plane crashes, and automobile defect cases because the more clients they take on, the more likely they are to earn fees significant, usually a third of the verdict or settlement they obtain. But in the rush to get to court first, the facts can be mixed up,” Chron explained at the time.
In 2017, again, he also made the headlines for a more unusual reason this time. Passionate about history, he bought a Sherman tank dating from the Second World War for $600,000 which he had… parked in front of his house, provoking the anger of his neighbors. On Reddit, people wrote: “This idiot put up a giant neon sign saying #BUZBEE as a Christmas decoration outside his mansion in River Oaks. That tells you everything you need to know about him.” “The faker the tan, the faker the person.” He seems like an expert on bullshit to me, but I hear he’s a very good litigator.” If he is required to speak in court during P. Diddy’s trial and demonstrate his oratorical skills, even the most critical could well find some qualities in it.
