Photos show federal authorities arrested and charged a clone instead of the real Sean “Diddy” Combs.
No, feds did not arrest a clone of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
If your time is short
- The images are AI-generated deepfakes that spread online in March 2024.
- The real Sean "Diddy" Combs remains in federal custody awaiting trial.
Federal agents arrested music magnate Sean “Diddy” Combs for sex trafficking and other criminal charges in September, but some social media posts claim they got a clone instead.
“Whether or not you believe the Diddy in custody is a clone is up to you,” said an Instagram user in a video posted Oct. 28. The video shows a screen recording of a TikTok video posted Oct. 4.
The TikTok shows multiple images of Combs with the caption: “they arrested the wrong P. diddy (they have the diff nose and lips, eyes) that means diddy has a clone???” The TikTok video has more than 10.9 million views and 81,200 likes as of Oct. 29.
But these suspicious images of Combs were identified by their creator as deepfake photos generated by artificial intelligence back in March.
Federal agents raided two of Combs’ properties March 25, seeking evidence in a sex trafficking investigation. As the news went viral, social media users shared fake images of Combs being arrested and a fake mug shot.
“I don’t know what in the AI, shape-shifting devil clone going on here, but that is not Diddy,” said one TikTok user in a March 27 video showing one of the arrest images.
Combs remained free until he was arrested and indicted in September.
USA Today reported the images were AI-generated deepfakes. Riiah Mitchell, the person who created the images, confirmed he used AI to make them.
The AI-generated deepfake images of Combs from March 2024 are identical to the images in the October 2024 videos.
Federal agents arrested Combs on Sept. 16, in Manhattan, ABC News reported. A federal judge denied multiple requests to release Combs on bail and set his trial date for May 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is holding Combs at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center.
There is no credible evidence that scientists have ever cloned human beings to create doppelgängers of celebrities. PolitiFact has investigated purported clones of King Charles III, Jeff Bezos, Ellen DeGeneres and other celebrities.
We rate the claim that photos show federal agents arrested a clone of Sean “Diddy” Combs Pants on Fire.
Our Sources
ABC News, "Sean 'Diddy' Combs charged with sex trafficking in sprawling indictment, held without bail," Sept. 17, 2024
ABC News, "Sean 'Diddy' Combs denied bail again in sex trafficking indictment," Sept. 18, 2024
AP News, "Feds search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ properties as part of sex trafficking probe, AP sources say," March 25, 2024
AP News, "Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex trafficking trial set for May," Oct. 10, 2024
BOP, Inmate locator, accessed Oct. 29, 2024
Instagram, Riiah Mitchell, March 26, 2024
Instagram, Sterling Fournier, Oct. 28, 2024
PolitiFact, "Baseless clone claims replicate on social media," July 12, 2023
PolitiFact, "Photos show Jeff Bezos, not his clone," Nov. 17, 2022
PolitiFact, "Any resemblance is purely coincidental: These pictures aren’t proof of celebrity clones," Jan. 24, 2023
TikTok, 1nf3ctedeli__, Oct. 4, 2024
TikTok, Prettyteatime, March 27, 2024
USA Today, "Images that show Diddy being arrested are AI creations," March 29, 2024
