A man alleged in a lawsuit to be Sean "Diddy" Combs' drug courier pleaded not guilty to a drug possession charge in Miami on Wednesday. Brendan Paul, 25, from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, was arrested in March at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport. The arrest took place amid a federal raid on Diddy's Miami Beach and Los Angeles homes as part of a sex trafficking investigation, as reported by Local 10 News.
Paul was initially facing two felony drug possession charges after police claimed they found suspected cocaine and marijuana candy in his luggage. The marijuana charge has since been dropped, leaving Paul to only answer to the cocaine possession. "We entered Brendan’s plea of not guilty in Court today. We will be dealing with this case in the courtroom, not the court of public opinion," Paul's attorney Brian Bieber told Local 10 News. Paul's next court hearing is set for May 17.
Accusations against Paul emerged from a recent lawsuit filed by music producer Rodney Jones, in which Paul is alleged to "acquires and distributes" drugs and guns for Combs. Furthermore, the lawsuit claims Paul is part of a group responsible "for ensuring payment to sex workers in cash," according to documents obtained by Complex. Combs has denied all wrongdoing associated with this case.
In response to the allegations, Combs' attorney, Shawn Holley, labeled music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones Jr. as "a liar," and dismissed the lawsuit as a "shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday," as per the report from Complex. Holley's statement read, "His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines," a sentiment echoed in the Complex coverage of the unfolding legal drama. The suit against Diddy is one of several he has faced in recent months, including a settled lawsuit involving accusations of abuse from his former partner Cassie.
Diddy, who has been surrounded by legal troubles and public scrutiny, took to social media last December to insist he "will fight for my name, my family, and for the truth," according to the Complex report. As the case continues to unfold, the rap mogul's team has adamantly denied the barrage of accusations and has committed to vigorously defending against them in court.
