Robert F. Kennedy Jr, American Academy Of Pediatrics , vaccines

by Sharelle B. McNair

April 23, 2026

RFK Jr. Denies Making ‘Re-Parenting’ Black Children Comments Despite Issuing Apology

After Kennedy seemed confused by the questions, Alsobrooks read the quote out loud and when that didn't work, she suggested playing the clip after Kenendy said he would need to hear it.

In a tense exchange between Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Maryland Democratic Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, Kennedy apologized for recorded comments he made in the past about Black kids being “reparented,” but stood his ground on claims he never said it.

During an April 22 hearing, Alsobrooks asked the secretary if he could admit to suggesting he had a plan that would send Black children to rural rehabilitation centers to be “reparented” after he failed to do so when Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) brought up the same remarks when appearing before the House Ways and Means Committee last week.

“Now, you’ve had some trouble with the truth, I’ve seen it myself during your appearances in Congress and as we all saw clearly during your exchange with Congresswoman Sewell. Can you admit today that you said that every Black kid can get reparented on a wellness farm?” she asked.

After Kennedy seemed confused by the questions, Alsobrooks read the quote out loud, and when that didn’t work, she suggested playing the clip after Kennedy said he would need to hear it. Despite having a recording, the HHS leader said “he doesn’t believe it,” but then said, “If I said it, I apologize, but I’d have to see the transcript.”

ALSOBROOKS: I have the recording. I can play it

RFK Jr: I do not believe that every Black kid should be re-parented on a wellness farm and I have never believed it

ALSOBROOKS: Well you said it, sir, I have the video

RFK Jr: I'd have to see the transcript pic.twitter.com/YQMGkMKYdg
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 22, 2026

He very much did suggest it. While appearing on the High Level Conversations podcast during his 2024 presidential campaign, he claimed “psychiatric drugs, which every black kid is now just standard put on, Adderall, SSRIs, benzos which are known to induce violence and those kids are going to have a chance to go somewhere and get reparented; to live in a community where there’ll be no cell phones no screens you’ll actually have to talk to people.”

This isn’t the only controversial comment Kennedy allegedly made, that Alsobrooks stood firm on, regarding the welfare of Black people. The Hill reported he once suggested that Black individuals shouldn’t follow the same immunization schedule as others since “their immune system is better than ours.”

In a statement defending the agency leader, a HHS spokesperson said, “Prior to his time as Secretary, he described these communities as spaces where individuals, particularly young people facing alienation, mental health challenges, and rising rates of despair, could undergo a form of ‘reparenting.’”

In his first appearance before Congress in 2026, the secretary praised the agency’s work, claiming it is changing the nation’s dietary guidelines and reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, according to the New York Amsterdam News.

While Republicans on the committee celebrated Kennedy’s work as “a breath of fresh air,” emphasizing nutrition and overall health, Democrats were focused on the Trump Administration’s plan to cut close to 12% from his department’s 2027 budget, carving over $100 billion from the agency that provides healthcare services to all Americans.

In addition to cutting $5 billion from the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s leading health and biomedical research organization, the proposed cuts would also terminate a program that provides home heating and energy assistance to millions of households.

It would also cut budgets for federal programs that assist in feeding low-income families and children.

Black Youth, Incarceration, Racial Disparities

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 23, 2026

‘Rich and Unemployed’ Podcaster Jonathan Dupiton Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison Over Unemployment Scam During Pandemic

He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

“Rich and Unemployed” podcast host Jonathan Dupiton has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison after being involved in a multimillion-dollar unemployment scam during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, U.S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert sentenced the 36-year-old Atlanta resident on April 14, and he must serve three years of supervised release after serving his prison term.

Dupiton will be ordered to pay restitution to be determined at a future hearing. On Jan. 13, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

“During the pandemic, while citizens were struggling with job loss and trying to make ends meet, Dupiton stole unemployment benefits by submitting false applications using hundreds of stolen identities,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg in a written statement. “His sentence underscores that anyone who seeks to exploit taxpayer-funded programs will be aggressively prosecuted and face substantial prison time.”

Hertzberg said the scheme took place in 2020, while Dupiton was in a halfway house following a fraud conviction that targeted the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This particular scam targeted California’s Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) benefits program, which he operated from July 2020 through early 2021.

Dupiton obtained hundreds of stolen IDs. He and his conspirators used the IDs to submit fraudulent unemployment benefit applications online via a VPN (virtual private network). After the applications were approved, Dupiton and his conspirators updated the applicants’ information to list mailing addresses in Georgia, including Dupiton’s. Debit cards containing the unemployment benefits were sent to those addresses. When the cards were received, Dupiton and others withdrew funds at various ATMs, mostly in the metro Atlanta area.

The scheme netted Dupiton and his crew approximately $3,800,000 in UI benefits. They withdrew or otherwise spent more than $2 million of the illegally obtained money.

“Jonathan Dupiton stole identities and filed hundreds of fraudulent claims to steal nearly $3 million in unemployment benefits meant for struggling Americans, said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor. “His sentencing sends a strong message: if you exploit federal programs and steal from taxpayers, my office will relentlessly pursue you. We work hand in hand with our law enforcement partners and have zero tolerance for fraud. We will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”

by Jameelah Mullen

April 23, 2026

Octavia Butler Stopped Republishing This Novel. Four Decades Later, It’s Returning To Bookshelves

Survivor, the third novel in Octavia Butler’s Patternist series, will soon be back on shelves despite Butler’s wishes.

Octavia Butler may have been one of her own harshest critics. She held herself to such high standards that she insisted her early novel Survivor remain out of print. Now, decades later, the once‑rare book is making its way back to bookstores this summer.

Alyssa Collins, Huntington’s inaugural Octavia Butler fellow, was skeptical when Hachette Book Group’s Grand Central Publishing division asked her to write the introduction to its new edition of the novel.

“On the one hand, I knew that Butler wasn’t a huge fan of [‘Survivor’] and just let it lapse,” Collins told the LA Times. “On the other hand, I knew she was incredibly critical of her own work,” the assistant professor of Gender and Women’s Studies at Cal State Northridge said.

Collins ultimately chose to write the introduction. She said the Anthropic Copyright Settlement Works List Lookup tool, which lets authors, publishers, and agents check whether their books were used without permission to train Anthropic’s AI models, helped solidify her decision. When she searched Butler’s catalog, she found that nearly all of the author’s novels had been downloaded.

“If AI could read ‘Survivor,’ fans should be able to do the same, and with context that honored Butler’s ambivalence about the work,” Collins told LA Times.

Published in 1978 as part of the science fiction writer’s Patternist series, Survivor follows Alanna, a biracial orphan adopted by religious missionaries, as she flees plague-ravaged Earth in search of a new home and ends up settling on a new planet where she gets caught in the crossfire of two rival native tribes.

Butler’s main critique of the novel was that it had been rushed to publication. According to reports, the author sold the book prematurely to fund a research trip for what would become her book Kindred. She also criticized the book’s themes as cliché. In response, she asked that the book not be republished, making it a rare and expensive collector’s item.

Nana K. Twumasi, vice president and publisher of the balance imprint at Grand Central Publishing, said she paid about $300 for her copy, which is at the lower end of the current price range. Twumasi said she knew the decision to reprint Survivor could be perceived as exploitive, but she maintains it’s more about honoring the late novelist who died in 2006.

“It’s far more about wanting to have a piece of this person that we all respect and want to get her due,” Twumasi told the LA Times.

“I don’t know that we would have pursued this if there were very clear notes that said, ‘Do not ever release this book. I don’t want anyone to see it… as opposed to, ‘I could have made this better, and I didn’t get the opportunity to do it,’” she added.

The new edition of “Survivor” will be published Sept. 1 and will include one of Butler’s short stories, A Necessary Being. Grand Central Publishing will also roll out repackaged, deluxe paperback editions of works from the Patternist series: Patternmaster, Mind of My Mind, Wild Seed, and Clay’s Ark on June 23, the day after Butler’s birthday. A new audio edition of Kindred arrives the same day, with audio versions of Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents, narrated by Anika Noni Rose, dropping July 14.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

April 23, 2026

Emma Grede Explains Why She Didn’t Invest In Ami Colé But Hired Its Founder At SKIMS

Emma Grede opens up about why she chose not to invest in Ami Colé and instead hired founder Diarrha N’Diaye at SKIMS.

Emma Grede is addressing criticism of her decision to hire Diarrha N’Diaye-Mbaye, founder of Ami Colé, at SKIMS instead of investing in her now-defunct clean beauty company.

The serial entrepreneur and SKIMS cofounder recently appeared on Les Alfred’s “She’s So Lucky” podcast to promote her new book, “Start With Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life,” where she explained why she passed on investing in Ami Colé early on because she typically avoids backing first-time founders unless she sees something “extraordinary about that founder and about that proposition.”

“To me, I didn’t see that. I was like, ‘It’s okay.’ But I was like, ‘It’s gonna come and go.’ That’s how I felt. So that wasn’t an opportunity that I wanted to invest in at the time, but I kept my eye on it,” Grede said.

Instead of investing financially, Grede said she supported N’Diaye-Mbaye through mentorship and direct access as she worked to grow her Black-owned beauty brand.

“We would talk time to time. And so there was a relationship,” Grede shared around the 50:05 mark. “And to her credit, she always called me. She didn’t say, ‘You didn’t invest in my company. That’s the end of our relationship.’ She was like, ‘What do you see that I don’t see? What is it that I can learn?’ And I’m having this situation, and do you know these people?’ And when she took investments, she would call me. So there was lots to speak about.”

Grede’s foresight about the brand’s longevity proved prescient when, in July 2025, just four years after launch, N’Diaye-Mbaye announced on Instagram that Ami Colé would shut down. In a candid op-ed, the young beauty founder cited business challenges and the shift in investor priorities away from the inclusivity focus that fueled many Black businesses in the wake of racial unrest in 2020.

“Instead of focusing on the healthy, sustainable future of the company and meeting the needs of our loyal fan base,” N’Diaye-Mbaye. “I rode a temperamental wave of appraising investors — some of whom seemed to have an attitude toward equity and ‘betting big on inclusivity’ that changed its tune a lot, to my ears, from what it sounded like in 2020.”

Meanwhile, her relationship with Grede continued to grow, leading to N’Diaye-Mbaye’s hiring at SKIMS just months after announcing Ami Colé’s closure. Grede called it the “perfect opportunity” for the “incredibly talented” executive to refine her ideas and gain experience before launching another brand.

“What she will say herself is that she perhaps lacked the business acumen to start a business,” Grede explained. “Now, if you have an opportunity to go inside a company where you have infrastructure and investment and executives and a bunch of people that can show you how it’s done and make something successful, and you can extrapolate all of the value from that for three years and go, ‘Thank you guys,’ and go off and try it again. Why would you not?”

“I hope the community understands it. If they don’t, then, sorry. Not even, sorry … The point of being in business is to make money. It isn’t to service the community,” she added.

by Mitti Hicks

April 23, 2026

Lawmakers Grill Health Secretary RFK Jr. Over Medicaid Cuts, Black Maternal Health

Black women are at least three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.

Black lawmakers grilled Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr on the impact that the Trump administration’s anti-DEI initiatives have had on Black maternal health.

“Your agency told programs to remove a list of nearly 200 words and phrases from their funding applications, including the word ‘Black.’ Do you have an idea of how we could solve the Black maternal mortality crisis if we can’t say ‘Black’?” Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) asked Kennedy.

Lee’s exchange with Kennedy was during Black Maternal Health Week, which she noted..

“Secretary Kennedy, I’m sure you’re aware that Black women are at least three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women,” Lee said. “The vast majority of these deaths are preventable. Black women in my district are more likely to die during pregnancy than their peers in 97% of U.S. cities.”

Kennedy acknowledged the disparity but then pivoted to discussing broader maternal health and maintained that policies should include “Blacks and whites.” He also claimed that the current administration has made more improvements than its predecessors.

Lee wasn’t the only one who grilled Kennedy over his statements or priorities.

Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) recently criticized the health secretary on budget cuts on Tuesday during an Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing. Kennedy refused to recognize the $900 billion cut to Medicaid in the GOP-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 5, 2025.

“The American people are not falling for what you’re saying,” Kelly told Kennedy. “Your attacks on minority health, women’s health, LGBTQ+ health, and basic preventative medicine through illegal funding freezes and mass firings will lead to decades of consequences for all Americans. You have failed at your job and failed the American people.”

by Mitti Hicks

April 23, 2026

The American Dream? 7 in 10 Millennials and Gen Zers Say It’s Not For Them

They're also feeling uneasy about their financial literacy and education.

Young Americans feel like they’re in survival mode, and the financial system is stacked against them. In a new survey by Beyond Finance, 70% of respondents said building wealth is out of reach and that survival spending is the new norm.

What’s clear in the survey of more than 2,000 respondents is that a growing share of Gen Z and Millennials feel the financial system is working against them, not for them.

In fact, only 32% said the “American Dream” feels realistic today. More than half feel their generation was set up for financial failure, and 71% said wealth-building opportunities are becoming less achievable. Nearly two-thirds said they keep a side hustle to make ends meet, and nearly a third use “Buy Now, Pay Later” options for essentials like groceries and utilities.

“We’re asking these younger generations to follow financial rules that no longer fully reflect today’s reality,” said John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE. “Budgeting alone won’t close the gap. This is a moment to reimagine financial education, to equip people not just to survive, but to thrive, build wealth, and claim their rightful place in today’s economy.”

A Call For New Financial Rules For The Younger Generations To Play By

Respondents are not only feeling uneasy about their finances, but about their financial literacy and education. Many respondents question whether traditional financial advice and education are aligned with the realities they face today.

Fewer than a third of people feel fully prepared by their education to make financial decisions; almost half say older generations don’t understand their financial challenges; and 80% support mandatory financial literacy education. Yet, despite their grim feelings, Gen Z and Millennials remain engaged. Many are adapting their expectations and redefining financial success in the current climate.

“The reality is, financial conditions have changed faster than the rules,” said Dr. Erika Rasure, chief financial wellness advisor at Beyond Finance. “Redefining hope isn’t about asking people to try harder. It’s about helping them create values and financial habits that reflect their reality, and rebuilding confidence through consistent, sustainable progress.”

Dr. Rasure suggests the following from her Beyond Finance client coaching sessions:

Consistency is Key: Focus on small, repeatable actions, such as contributing to an emergency fund, that build evidence of progress over time.
Stability Is Success: In today’s environment, maintaining financial stability is a meaningful achievement. Paying bills, supporting your household, and keeping your life functioning are not minimums. They are wins.
Redefine the Dream: Traditional markers of success may no longer feel attainable, and that’s not your failure. It’s a signal to redefine success on your own terms. Focus on goals that are realistic and meaningful today, whether that’s reducing debt, increasing flexibility, or building consistency.
Clarity Before Action: Instead of asking, “How can I do more?” start with “Where can I create breathing room?” and “What support can I access?” Hope grows when people see multiple paths forward, not just one rigid path.
Self-Regulation Before Resolution: Financial stress can cloud decision-making. Before solving problems, take time to reset. Creating space for clarity helps shift decisions from reactive to intentional and leads to better long-term outcomes.

Read the full report here.

small business, big business, operate, corporate, FedEx, FedEx

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 23, 2026

Man Charged With Murder After Allegedly Killing FedEx Driver In Florida Road Rage Incident

Tyler Vidro has been charged with premeditated murder and stalking.

A road rage incident led to a Florida man being charged with the murder of a FedEx driver.

According to People, Tyler Vidro was arrested for his involvement in the shooting death of Nathaniel Padgett in Riviera Beach, Florida, on April 16.

Vidro allegedly chased down Padgett to tell him he had hit his vehicle. The confrontation led to Vidro allegedly shooting Padgett several times. The victim was taken to the hospital, and he later died from his wounds.

Vidro was charged with premeditated murder and stalking.

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Police said Padgett’s girlfriend was with him at the time of the incident. She told investigators she was riding in the delivery truck when Vidro pulled up beside them, “lowered his window and began shrugging his shoulders and raising his hand… in an attempt to provoke confrontation,” according to the affidavit.

After Padgett drove away, he went to a FedEx facility to return the truck and retrieve his personal vehicle. Police said Vidro followed them to the location.

“Based on his behavior, Vidro appeared to be deliberately waiting for Padgett to exit the building,” police said in the affidavit. “Vidro had no lawful reason to be present on this restricted private property.”

Police officers reviewed surveillance audio and said that Vidro was heard saying, “You hit my car.”

Surveillance video showed Padgett attempting to disengage and leave the scene. Vidro followed as Padgett drove to another area of the facility. Once he arrived, Padgett exited the vehicle, picked up a concrete block, and told Vidro he had not hit his car. Moments later, gunshots were heard.

“Vidro initiated the confrontation at a prior location, followed Padgett to his place of employment without authorization, positioned himself to intercept Padgett upon exit, physically maintained proximity when Padgett attempted to leave, and then pursued Padgett’s vehicle when Padgett drove away,” police explained.

After the shooting, Vidro called the police and told them he had to use his firearm because he feared for his life.

“I didn’t think to call you guys, but the lawyer told me to,” he allegedly told police.

A GoFundMe account was created to cover Padgett’s funeral costs.

by Ahsan Washington

April 23, 2026

6 Ways To Indulge in National Jazz Appreciation Month

Take advantage and learn about one of the bedrocks on American culture.

Celebrating National Jazz Appreciation Month this month is about more than just hitting “play” on a playlist—it is an invitation to explore a genre that the Smithsonian describes as a “historical and living American art form.”

Established in 2001 by the National Museum of American History, this initiative honors the profound cultural, educational, and social impact of jazz. From its roots in Black communities to its role as a global symbol of freedom and improvisation, jazz offers a rich tapestry of stories waiting to be uncovered.

Whether you are a lifelong aficionado or a curious newcomer, these six intentional ways will help you fully immerse yourself in the rhythm and history of the music this month.

1. Visit a Jazz Museum or Cultural Institution

Exploring the history of jazz through museums like the New Orleans Jazz Museum provides a deep dive into the roots of the genre.

This video showcases how the museum captures the “living history” of jazz through its extensive archives and live performance spaces.

Watch: Official New Orleans Jazz Museum Overview

**2. Read Jazz by Toni Morrison**

Morrison’s masterpiece doesn’t just talk about jazz; it mirrors the music’s structure through prose.

Watch: Toni Morrison on the narrative style of Jazz, including how she translated the improvisational nature of the 1920s Harlem sound into a literary structure.

3. Experience Jazz Venues

Venues like the Williamsburg Music Center in Brooklyn are more than just clubs; they are cultural anchors.

Watch: Williamsburg Music Center: A Legacy of Jazz, which highlights the importance of Black-owned spaces in preserving the authentic spirit of jazz and providing a home for experimentation.

4. Explore Jazz Digital Archives

Digital archives like The HistoryMakers allow us to hear from the legends themselves. The HistoryMakers ensures that jazz history is not just a collection of dates and recordings, but a legacy of firsthand accounts preserved under community control. By prioritizing the voices of Black creators and leaders, these archives safeguard the cultural authenticity and sociopolitical truth of jazz for future generations.

Watch: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ahR7R8RmAWM

5. Participate in Jazz Education

Organizations like Jazz at Lincoln Center ensure the next generation understands the “democracy” of jazz.
Watch: Education at Jazz at Lincoln Center, which details the masterclasses and youth programs that keep the technical and historical aspects of the music alive.

6. Listen Intentionally

Intentional listening means moving beyond “background music” to appreciate the complexity of the arrangements.

Watch: The Evolution of Jazz: A Listening Guide, a great resource for identifying the different eras—from the swing of the ’30s to the avant-garde movements that followed.

Jobs, Workplace, Resenteeism,, federal employees

by Mitti Hicks

April 23, 2026

Former Federal Workers Struggle To Find Work After DOGE Cuts

OneAid, an organization of former USAID workers who felt the greatest impact of the DOGE cuts, estimates that 50% of its membership remains unemployed.

Former federal workers are struggling to find work a year after the now-dismantled Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut over 300,000 federal jobs.

WellFed, an organization that supports former federal workers, told NBC News that only 25% of its members have found new jobs. Meanwhile, OneAid, an organization of former USAID workers who felt the greatest impact of the DOGE Cuts, estimates that 50% of its membership remains unemployed.

“Laid-off workers are now moving into a category that is long-term unemployment. The unemployment checks have stopped. They’re having trouble with health care,” WellFed co-founder and program director Rebecca Ferguson-Ondrey said.

WellFed was founded in early 2025, when two former Department of Health and Human Services employees were abruptly laid off by the Administration for Children and Families. Ferguson-Ondrey was one of the employees. What began as a small mutual-aide circle has since grown into a nationwide resource hub for federal employees and contractors facing layoffs, furloughs, or career uncertainty.

According to 7News, WellFed has served more than 3,000 laid-off federal workers nationwide. In Washington, D.C., the organization regularly hosts “fired, tired, or furloughed” events for those who need career guidance, community support, and even a hot meal.

“It’s not just one thing that people need when they’re in a career transition and an unexpected career transition,” Ferguson-Ondrey told 7News. “It’s a whole constellation of support, and so not only do we provide that résumé support, but we also have had an interview prep session. We’ve brought in recruiters.”

How Former Federal Workers Are Finding Work After Doge Cuts

Former federal employees have been trying to cope with uncertainty and the trauma of losing their livelihoods, and, for many, their life’s work. Other federal alumni have come together in new and creative ways to support their former colleagues.

The Department of Energy (DOE) Alumni Network is one of the more recently launched federal alumni groups founded to create a community for former employees. The group has nearly 900 members and operates as an independent nonprofit.

Each week, the DOE Alumni Network publishes a newsletter to share job postings and leads, organizes resume drafting, and offers other career support programming. It also hosts networking events nationwide.

“A significant portion of our community is still looking for jobs…and so the major objectives of the mentorship program will be helping each other navigate career transitions,” Executive Director Jocelyn Brown-Saracino told HR Brew “It has been incredibly uplifting to see people’s willingness to lend their time and their expertise to support each other right now.”

Sean Combs, ‘Reckoning’ Doc, Abuse Claims, Slap Story, Janice Combs,

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

April 23, 2026

Diddy $100M Lawsuit Against NBCUniversal Dismissed By Federal Judge

Diddy sued over the documentary "Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy."

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ $100 million defamation lawsuit against NBCUniversal was dismissed earlier this week by a federal judge.

Diddy had filed the lawsuit against NBCUniversal, Peacock TV, and Ample LLC. over the documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy, which was released on Jan. 2, 2025.

“It is inconceivable as to how the Documentary created additional damage to [Diddy’s] reputation, which was already tarnished by the numerous lawsuits, domestic violence video, press coverage, and a criminal indictment prior to the Documentary’s publication,” Judge Phaedra F. Perry-Bond said in her ruling, per All HipHop.

She explained that NBCUniversal did not act with gross irresponsibility, the legal standard required by Diddy’s suit.

“The Documentary demonstrates a carefully curated and nuanced approach which discloses interviewees’ biases and includes counterstatements to the allegedly defamatory statements, including statements from Plaintiff and his attorneys. The Documentary provides viewers with numerous viewpoints, coupled with objective information, from which the viewer may draw their own conclusions on numerous topics discussed.”

The ruling also said that the convicted entertainment mogul already had a bad reputation before the documentary’s release, citing the libel-proof plaintiff doctrine. She mentioned the publicly shared hotel surveillance video that revealed his assault of former girlfriend/recording artist Cassie, as well as his federal criminal indictment and the number of civil lawsuits filed against him.

The judge also cited Combs’ own statement, in which he described his actions as “disgusting, shameful, and sick.”

When the lawsuit was filed in February, Diddy’s attorneys said the documentary portrayed him in such a negative light and that NBCUniversal acted “maliciously and recklessly” when the documentary made claims that he participated in “serial murder” and “sexual assault of minors” without a “shred of evidence.”

NBCUniversal argued that Combs had already acknowledged damage to his reputation, citing his statement that he ‘lost [his] freedom…career…[and] reputation.”

Diddy is serving a 50-month prison term after being convicted on two counts of transporting individuals to engage in prostitution under the Mann Act in July.