Joseph Sherman Files Defamation Lawsuit Against Thalia Graves and Gloria Allred

Joseph Sherman, ex-bodyguard of Sean Combs, has launched a lawsuit claiming defamation and emotional distress against Thalia Graves and attorney Gloria Allred, accusing Graves of attempting to blackmail him with false testimony against Combs.

Joseph Sherman, the former bodyguard of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, filed a civil suit on Friday against Thalia Graves and her attorney Gloria Allred, along with others, in the Southern District of New York. In his complaint, Sherman alleges defamation and emotional distress in response to a lawsuit previously filed by Graves and Allred on September 24, 2024, which named Sherman as a defendant alongside Combs. Sherman contends that Graves attempted to blackmail him, producing pages of text messages as evidence in his lawsuit.

Entitled Joseph Sherman vs Thalia Graves, Gloria Allred et al. 24-CV-8494 (SDNY), the lawsuit details Sherman's defense against allegations that he participated in a 2001 rape alongside Combs. Sherman stated that he had ceased working for Combs in 1999 and emphasized that he has never met Graves. The lawsuit includes claims that Graves pressured Sherman, suggesting that if he testified against Combs, her legal team would prevent charges from being filed against him.

Critics have called attention to a perceived pattern of misconduct involving Gloria Allred, indicating this may be part of a broader scheme aimed at discrediting allegations made against Combs. Notably, Allred is the only attorney in the ongoing litigation against Combs who has herself faced a counter-lawsuit from Sherman.

Concerns have been raised about Allred's connections to Mark Geragos, Combs' legal counsel, with allegations of orchestrated legal maneuvers that evoke past misconduct surrounding notable trials such as the Michael Jackson molestation case and the Scott Peterson murder trial. Both Allred and Geragos have been associated with Anthony Pellicano, a controversial private investigator known for his involvement in witness tampering and other illegal activities.

This trio, comprising Allred, Geragos, and Pellicano, has been described by sources as indicative of organized criminal activity within the legal landscape. Accusations against Allred are not new, as she has previously faced scrutiny from the State Bar of California, with allegations tied to unethical legal practices.

Allred's attempt to engage in high-profile litigation against Combs has raised eyebrows, with some analysts interpreting her strategy as a misguided attempt to undermine other victims' credibility. In contrast, Sherman's attorney has raised broader implications regarding the repercussions of false claims, arguing both accused men and legitimate victims of sexual assault suffer from financial motivations that overshadow genuine cases.

The unfolding legal drama paints a complicated portrait of intertwined interests and motives, stirring debates on ethics within celebrity-related cases and the integrity of the legal system as a whole.