"Sean Combs: The Reckoning" debuted on Netflix on Dec. 2, 2025.
Christopher Wallace, aka The Notorious B.I.G., and Sean "Diddy" Combs are seen in this undated photo shown in Netflix's "Sean Combs: The Reckoning."

Sean "Diddy" Combs' videographer has entered Netflix and Combs' brawl over 50 Cent's new docuseries about the rapper's rise and fall.

Michael Oberlies shared a statement with Rolling Stone on Dec. 10 to clear his name as Combs' camp has blasted "Sean Combs: The Reckoning" as a "shameful hit piece."

Oberlies, who was involved in filming "a project profiling Sean 'Diddy' Combs" and has worked for the rapper since 2019, told the outlet, "The footage in question was not released by me or anyone authorized to handle Sean Combs’ materials; it was by a third party who covered for me for three days while I was out of state."

His statement continued: "This incident had nothing to do with any fee dispute or contract issue. The actions of the parties involved reflect the lack of integrity every storyteller should uphold. Taking footage intended for our project to advance a narrative that was not our own is both unethical and unacceptable."

Oberlies' comments are the latest in a recent back-and-forth between Netflix, which released the 50 Cent-produced series, and Combs' family and legal team, who say the content perpetuates "lies" about Combs' upbringing and uses "stolen footage that was never authorized for release."

The Alexandria Stapleton-directed four-part series, which dropped Dec. 2, dives into Combs' come-up in the music business (and later his downfall). It employs a mix of interviews and some never-before-seen footage from the days before his arrest on federal sex-trafficking charges in Manhattan on Sept. 16, 2024.

Combs, who would often keep the cameras rolling to document his life and work, had a videographer follow him while in New York City during federal prosecutors' investigation into his alleged sex crimes, for which he is now serving 50 months in prison.

At one point, the videographer captured federal agents on a rooftop across from the hotel room. In another scene, Combs is seen railing against one of his lawyers, the high-profile criminal defense attorney Marc Agnifilo.

What has Diddy's team said about 50 Cent's Netflix series?

A day before the docuseries went live on Netflix, a representative for Combs issued a statement denouncing the streamer's conduct as "illegal" as "Good Morning America" debuted the series' teaser trailer.

"Netflix’s so-called 'documentary' is a shameful hit piece. Today’s GMA teaser confirms that Netflix relied on stolen footage that was never authorized for release. As Netflix and CEO Ted Sarandos know, Mr. Combs has been amassing footage since he was 19 to tell his own story, in his own way. It is fundamentally unfair, and illegal, for Netflix to misappropriate that work," the Dec. 2 statement read.

It continued, "Netflix is plainly desperate to sensationalize every minute of Mr. Combs’s life, without regard for truth, in order to capitalize on a never-ending media frenzy. If Netflix cared about truth or about Mr. Combs's legal rights, it would not be ripping private footage out of context — including conversations with his lawyers that were never intended for public viewing."

Combs' team also cast doubt on the origin of the footage that was included in the series.

"No rights in that material were ever transferred to Netflix or any third party," the statement read. "It is equally staggering that Netflix handed creative control to Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson — a longtime adversary with a personal vendetta who has spent too much time slandering Mr. Combs."

The rap mogul's team also issued a second cease-and-desist letter to Netflix, the first of which was issued when the documentary was first announced.

Diddy's mother speaks out against Netflix docuseries

Combs' mother, Janice Combs, also spoke out against the docuseries in a statement shared with USA TODAY on Dec. 8 through her son's representative.

"These inaccuracies regarding my son Sean's upbringing and family life is intentionally done to mislead viewers and further harm our reputation," Janice Combs said. "Sean has been a dutiful son always ensuring that I was cared for and vigilantly managing my medical care, as well as providing financial support. I am requesting that these distortions, falsehoods and misleading statements be publicly retracted."

She specifically called out her portrayal as "an abusive parent" and Bad Boy Entertainment cofounder Kirk Burrowes' claim that her son slapped her during a 1991 interaction about the City College of New York stampede that resulted in the deaths of nine people aged 15 to 28 years old.

What has Netflix said about 'Sean Combs: The Reckoning'?

In a statement provided to Netflix's official news site, Tudum, director Stapleton said the footage "came to us; we obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights."

She continued, "One thing about Sean Combs is that he's always filming himself, and it's been an obsession throughout the decades. We also reached out to Sean Combs' legal team for an interview and comment multiple times, but did not hear back."

In a separate statement from a Netflix spokesperson, shared with USA TODAY Dec. 2, the streamer doubled down on that sentiment. "The claims being made about 'Sean Combs: The Reckoning' are false. The project has no ties to any past conversations between Sean Combs and Netflix," the company said.

"The footage of Combs leading up to his indictment and arrest were legally obtained. This is not a hit piece or an act of retribution. Curtis Jackson is an executive producer but does not have creative control. No one was paid to participate."

In an interview with Robin Roberts for ABC News, 50 Cent said, "It's not personal."

"If I didn't say anything, you would interpret it as [the] hip-hop [community] is fine with his behaviors. Because no one else is being vocal," he added.

Stapleton said, "The show is not completely the perspectives of people that did not like Sean. We weren't trying to just get the highlights, the salacious details. The real goal was to story tell."

Contributing: Anna Kaufman and Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diddy's videographer breaks silence amid turmoil over Netflix doc

Reporting by KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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