Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs is known for throwing extravagant parties where alcohol, drugs, and nudity were often in excess. Celebrity photographer Selma Fonseca reveals what she witnessed at these events, including a warning to children in attendance.
Diddy has been known for hosting lavish bashes for over two decades, with celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Lopez, Paris Hilton, Mariah Carey, Usher, and Jay-Z in attendance. Fonseca, who has published two books on her career as a celebrity photojournalist, provides firsthand insights into the unfolding of these parties.
Fonseca recalls Diddy's first white party in the Hamptons in 1999, where she captured iconic photos of Lopez and Diddy kissing. She describes the events as "mini-circuses" with unlimited alcohol and entertainment.
Diddy Warns Parents to 'Put the Kids Away' at Infamous White Party
As the night progressed, "things would get crazy," Fonseca says. "Sometimes people took their clothes off [and] would go in the swimming pool."
Diddy was a very hands-on host, making sure guests were well-supplied with drinks. "He always had this tray, and he offered shots to everyone," Fonseca recalls. She also mentions that "ecstasy was really in fashion at that time."
Diddy Warns Parents to 'Put the Kids Away' at Infamous White Party
While the parties started innocently with children present, Diddy would later request, "We fed ya'll, gave ya'll some drinks. Now it's time to enjoy life. ... This thing turns into something that when ya'll get older, ya'll are going to want to come to. Let's start to get our groove on and in an hour we'll put the kids away."
Fonseca says she never felt unsafe but experienced a "nerve-wracking" moment at a 2006 party. Diddy instructed his bodyguard to confiscate her camera after she took photos of him with an unknown woman, but eventually returned it without deleting the pictures.
Diddy Warns Parents to 'Put the Kids Away' at Infamous White Party
The atmosphere changed when Diddy's homes in L.A. and Miami were raided in connection with a human trafficking investigation. Fonseca was surprised but not entirely.
Diddy pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted.
Diddy Warns Parents to 'Put the Kids Away' at Infamous White Party
His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, maintains his innocence, saying, "He is dealing with this head-on, the way he's dealt with every challenge in his life. And he's not guilty. He's innocent of these charges."
In TMZ's documentary, "Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment," Agnifilo reveals that Diddy is eager to testify in court and "tell every part of the story."
Diddy Warns Parents to 'Put the Kids Away' at Infamous White Party
The outcome of the Diddy case is yet to be determined, but the revelations surrounding his infamous parties highlight the darker side of the celebrity lifestyle and the potential risks associated with excessive substance use and lack of accountability.
