False Diddy rumor claims undercover FBI agent revealed what he observed while searching property

Claim:

An undercover FBI agent made public what he observed during a search of one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ homes.

Evaluation:

On June 2, 2024, the YouTube channel Celeb Lounge posted a false video with a title claiming that an unidentified undercover FBI agent had publicly discussed his search of one of Sean “Diddy” Combs' properties. The video's title read: “Undercover FBI Agent Reveals What He Saw Inside Diddy's House.”

The clip was viewed over 450,000 times in just two days and featured a misleading thumbnail that showed a photo of Combs alongside images of seemingly unidentified police officers and a child's doll.

For at least some users, the same video appeared as the top Google search result when they simply searched for “FBI Diddy” (without quotes).

Google search results also showed other similar videos supporting the same false claim. The clips provided no evidence that an undercover FBI agent or other official had revealed details of the search of one of Combs' properties. If this had actually happened, numerous credible online publishers would have reported it. The video's title and thumbnail were nothing more than fake clickbait.

The YouTube video's script, narration, and editing appear to have been created by one or more artificial intelligence (AI) tools. In fact, the video appears to contain elements of AI within AI. At 2:13 into the video, a clip from another, unidentified online creator's page appears. This creator sits and reacts to another, seemingly AI-generated gossip video about Combs, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, and other celebrities.

Background information on Diddy News

In March 2024, Homeland Security Investigations agents and other law enforcement officials raided Combs' properties in Los Angeles and Miami. According to The Associated Press, the agents' search was part of an ongoing federal sex trafficking investigation conducted out of New York. Authorities have not charged Combs in the matter. The New York Times further reported that Combs is also facing lawsuits from four women accusing him of rape and a man accusing him of unwanted sexual contact. Combs previously denied what he called “disgusting allegations” in a December 2023 Instagram post.

Then on May 17, CNN released exclusive footage from a hotel security camera showing Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016. Combs apologized in an Instagram post on May 19, saying in part, “My behavior in this video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in this video.”

YouTube's AI gossip problem

Fake YouTube gossip videos that appear to be generated by AI, like the one from the channel Celeb Lounge, appear to serve three main purposes. First, some of the unknown creators of the video benefit by making money thanks to YouTube's advertising revenue. Second, viewers are faced with thousands of ill-informed and silly comments from users who believed the video's content without asking, “Is this true?” Third, the videos provide an opportunity for unverified rumors to gain traction and spread both online and through word of mouth.

We've previously reported on another false Diddy rumor stemming from exactly these kinds of gossip-focused, seemingly AI-generated YouTube videos. This rumor falsely claimed that CNN had released footage showing Combs and Jay-Z engaging in illicit sexual activity in “underground gaming tunnels.”

Sources