Testimony from Diddy’s federal criminal trial is now being cited in an attempt to bring him back into a civil lawsuit accusing his son, Christian “King” Combs, of sexual assault. Grace O’Marcaigh’s attorneys have amended their complaint after a judge previously dismissed Sean Combs from the case, ruling that California lacked personal jurisdiction over him. The revised filing argues that evidence presented during Diddy’s criminal trial helps establish the California connection that was missing from the original complaint.
O’Marcaigh initially filed the lawsuit against both father and son over an alleged December 2022 incident aboard a yacht where she worked as a steward. She alleges that Christian cornered her inside the yacht’s cinema after previously making unwanted advances and attempted to force her to perform oral sex. Christian has denied the allegations. The lawsuit also sought to hold Diddy accountable, claiming he had chartered the yacht and was responsible for the environment onboard.
That part of the lawsuit faced a setback after the court determined that O’Marcaigh had not shown a sufficient connection between Diddy and California to keep him named as a defendant. Her attorneys were given permission to revise the complaint, and the new filing takes a different route. According to court documents, the attorneys now allege that the yacht was chartered through Janice Combs Music Holdings, a West Hollywood-based company. They also claim Combs was serving as the company’s CEO when the charter was arranged in November 2022.
The amended complaint also draws on evidence presented during Diddy’s 2025 criminal trial. Notably, Diddy did not take the stand in that case. Instead, O’Marcaigh’s attorneys are pointing to sworn testimony from former employees who spoke about the level of control Combs exercised over his staff and the preparation involved in private gatherings referred to as “Wild King Nights.”
Former assistant Brendan Paul, for instance, testified that staff were responsible for preparing rooms for those encounters and handling related supplies. He also described a system in which assistants were expected to anticipate Combs’ needs and remain available while traveling. O’Marcaigh’s lawyers now hope to use similar testimony to argue that Combs maintained significant control over his surroundings, even when he was away from his home.
The testimony does not establish what occurred between O’Marcaigh and Christian aboard the yacht. At this point, her attorneys are relying on it for a more limited argument: demonstrating why a California court should have jurisdiction over Diddy and allow him to remain a defendant. It will ultimately be up to the judge to determine whether the new allegations are enough to overcome the earlier dismissal.
Diddy has pushed back against the effort. In July, his attorneys asked the court to sanction O’Marcaigh and her legal team, arguing that the amended complaint merely repackaged claims the court had already rejected. Her attorneys countered that the judge had specifically permitted them to amend the complaint and that the revised filing includes additional facts connecting Combs to California.
Christian remains a defendant in O’Marcaigh’s lawsuit, regardless of the ongoing jurisdiction dispute involving his father. A hearing scheduled for September 4 is expected to determine whether Diddy can continue to be named in the case under the amended allegations.
