Many famous Hollywood celebrities are now worried following Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’s recent arrest. Although they did not have a role in the investigation, a number of A-listers are now experiencing undesirable focus because of their associations with Diddy.
(FILES) Sean Combs ‘P. Diddy’ is the target of several civil lawsuits that characterize him as a violent sexual predator who used alcohol and drugs to subdue his victims, and his homes were raided this year by federal agents. (AFP/ ANGELA WEISS)
The ‘Last Night’ singer was arrested on serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
For many in Diddy’s circle, staying quiet is a deliberate choice
Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR suggested Combs’ A-lister friends and associates should zip their mouth for now. “In high-profile situations like this, an informational vacuum creates an opportunity for that void to be filled with misinformation, driven by inaccurate assumptions, often based on speculation and lack of concrete evidence,” Eldridge told Fox News.
For those who have been closely linked to Diddy, the risk is “guilt by association,” as public perception can be quick to assume connections where none may exist. “Innocent or guilty are objective outcomes; fair is a subjective sentiment that doesn’t really exist anymore,” Eldridge added.
“A fire requires oxygen to survive; in this case, celebrities need to think twice about whether they want to blow on this flame and make it grow brighter,” Eldridge continued.
He noted that celebrities must weigh two considerations in this kind of situation, “The first is their legal liability and vulnerability; anything they put out in the public sphere will be admissible and relevant.”
Why Diddy close celebs must opt silence
“Making a statement or addressing it publicly only serves to draw undue attention and possibly give unintended credence or legitimacy to otherwise baseless speculation,” he advised.
“While the Diddy storyline isn’t going away anytime soon, the individual speculation ebbs and flows.”
Many celebrities, like Leonardo Di Caprio, Ashton Kutcher, Justin Bieber and Usher, are finding themselves on the receiving end of judgment from “social media prosecutors”.
“It’s important to remember that Combs, like every American, enjoys a presumption of innocence, irrespective of the national sentiment or the severity of the allegations,” Eldridge told Fox News.
