Diddy Reportedly Loses 18 Brand Partnerships Amid Assault Allegations
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Diddy reportedly lost business partnerships amid multiple sexual assault allegations. A Rolling Stone report detailed that 18 brands ended their partnerships with the mogul’s Empower Global project. Empower Global is an e-commerce platform that focuses on uplifting Black-owned companies. Some of the brands that have cut ties include Tsuri, Nuudii System, No One Clothiers, Fulaba, and House of Takura.
Annette Njau, House of Takura’s founder, pointed to Cassie Ventura’s initial suit against Sean Combs as the catalyst. Njau explained that their decision was made on that November day.
“This decision was made on the day that Casandra Ventura filed her lawsuit,” Njau explained. “We take the allegations against Mr. Combs very seriously and find such behavior abhorrent and intolerable. We believe in victims’ rights, and support victims in speaking their truth, even against the most powerful of people.”
No One Clothiers’ Lenard Grier spoke about his company’s decision as well. While calling it “difficult,” Grier said exiting the platform was “correct.” “While this decision was difficult due [to] the reverence we once held for Mr. Combs as a leader in business and entertainment, it was clearly the correct choice,” he stated.
Ashli Goudelock, owner of skincare brand Tsuri, explained that her company was on the verge of exiting the Empower Global platform. “As a women-owned and-led company, we do not and will not linger in a gray area about the mistreatment of women.”
Rebecca Allen of the eponymously-named shoe brand detailed that she was put off by both Sean’s allegations and the platform’s underwhelming performance.
“We had a relationship with Empower Global from its earlier days because I was previously connected with the founder who sold the Nile List,” Allen said. “We enjoyed working with the team, but have not seen meaningful sales, so we were already planning to terminate our relationship at the end of this year. These harrowing allegations have expedited our decision, and we ended our partnership with Empower Global earlier this month.”
On Wednesday (Dec. 6), Combs released a statement on Instagram proclaiming his innocence. In the post, he asserted that he would fight for his name as people tried to “assassinate my character.”
“Enough is enough,” the statement began. “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”
The mogul previously denied Cassie’s claims of sexual assault, trafficking, and abuse.
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