Justin Combs, Sean "Diddy" Combs' son, and actor Cuba Gooding Jr. are named in the feds for intentionally evading service. In February 2024, music producer Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones Jr. filed a case that contains disturbing charges of sex trafficking, drug distribution, and other misconduct.

According to the suit, in January 2023, Jones claimed that Gooding Jr. had groped him on a yacht Diddy had rented. The lawsuit alleges that Diddy walked away, leaving Jones with the actor, who is now accused of attacking Jones without his consent, and Diddy did nothing to intervene.

In March 2024, Jones changed his suit to add Gooding Jr. and Justin as defendants, alleging both men were part of the abuse and the subsequent cover-up. The complaint noted that Diddy's oldest son jumped in to assist those with whom he was participating in the activities.

Jones's legal team has attempted to serve Justin and Gooding Jr. so many times that Jones is now requesting an alternative method of notification, according to AllHipHop.

The process servers for Jones have hit a number of roadblocks attempting to serve both men at addresses they are known to frequent in both California and Florida. Jones' attorneys said they were denied access to three different California addresses for Gooding Jr. All three reported out–of–date or incorrect details. One of these locations had no record of the actor's representation, while others were reported as outdated or inaccurate.

Justin has also been elusive. The servers were stopped at a security gate at a private Los Angeles apartment complex and found themselves at a dead-end at another Beverly Hills location where they were tipped off that Justin had moved. Gates and security cut off attempts to serve him at a few of his Miami Beach properties. The process server could not locate Justin after serving his brother, Christian Combs.

Seeking Approval for Alternative Service

Having run out of ways to serve the defendants with the traditional means, Jones' lawyers filed a motion asking the court to permit Jones to serve the defendants with ads in newspapers. In a motion they submitted Monday to the court, they claim the approach — publishing notices in The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times — would be a proper means to provide notice to both Justin and Gooding Jr. of the action.

Jones' lawyers argue that the two men's public profiles and ties to New York and California suggest the notices are likely to reach them. Without the court's approval, Jones argues, he will be unfairly hindered from proceeding with his claims of sexual assault and trafficking.

Originally published on Music Times

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Diddy, Sean Combs, Cuba Gooding Jr.