A former sex worker who appeared in Netflix’s Sean Combs: The Reckoning has filed a lawsuit against the streaming platform and executive producer 50 Cent, claiming the docuseries misrepresented his story and harmed his credibility.
Clayton Howard is seeking at least $20 million in damages, alleging that the project distorted his testimony about Cassie Ventura, Diddy’s former girlfriend. Howard says the series portrayed Ventura as a victim while ignoring his claims that she was an active participant in trafficking him during his time with Diddy.
The lawsuit states, “Defendants deliberately edited, distorted, and misrepresented the plaintiff’s account, portraying Cassie Ventura as a victim while omitting and suppressing the plaintiff’s testimony that he was sex trafficked by Ventura.” Howard added that his role as a cooperating witness in the federal case against Diddy makes accuracy particularly important.
“Any distortion or misrepresentation of his testimony undermines not only his personal credibility but also the integrity of federal prosecutorial efforts,” the filing reads.
The lawsuit also claims the series served 50 Cent’s personal and business interests. “This calculated misrepresentation was done in furtherance of defendant Curtis Jackson’s vendetta against Sean Combs and to create a commercially profitable narrative,” the complaint alleges.
*Sean Combs: The Reckoning* debuted on Netflix in December and quickly became a hit, surpassing 50 million views. Howard is requesting financial damages and an updated disclaimer informing viewers that the accounts shown were edited and may not reflect complete testimony.