Janice Combs, the mother of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, has strongly rejected allegations made in the new Netflix docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning, which includes claims that she was an abusive parent and that Sean mistreated her. In a statement to Rolling Stone, she criticized the documentary for what she called falsehoods and damaging inaccuracies.
The four-part series, which premiered this week, features interviews from individuals who claim to have known the Combs family during Sean’s childhood. Among the most controversial comments are allegations of physical abuse and a strained mother-son dynamic—statements Janice says are fabricated to enhance drama and harm their family’s reputation.
“The docuseries contains inaccuracies regarding my son Sean’s upbringing and family life,” she said. “It was intentionally done to mislead viewers and further harm our reputation.”
Janice Combs Defends Her Parenting
Janice emphasized the sacrifices she made as a young single mother raising Sean in New York, describing years of working multiple jobs to provide for her only child.
“I was a single mother. I held three and even four jobs in an attempt to provide a comfortable upbringing and quality education,” she stated.
“I raised Sean with love and hard work, not abuse.”
She wrote the statement, she said, to correct lies, particularly those from Tim Patterson, an alleged childhood friend featured in the documentary. Janice disputed his narrative of family conflict, calling it “salacious and untruthful.”
Response to Physical Altercation Allegations
Another key accusation comes from Kirk Burrowes, former Bad Boy Entertainment executive, who claims Sean once slapped his mother during a heated conversation following the 1991 City College tragedy. Janice categorically denied the incident.
“The allegations stated by Mr. Kirk Burrowes that my son slapped me are inaccurate and patently false,” she said.
“For him to use this tragedy and incorporate fake narratives to gain what was never his—Bad Boy Records—is wrong, outrageous and past offensive.”
Burrowes also alleged in the documentary that Combs charged expenses from rapper The Notorious B.I.G.’s funeral back to the late artist’s estate, while publicly implying he covered costs personally.
‘A Dutiful Son’
Janice described Sean as a dedicated and generous child throughout his life.
“Sean has always been an industrious, goal-oriented overachiever,” she said.
“He supported me medically and financially. He is a dutiful son.”
She concluded the statement with a request for public retractions of what she called “distortions and falsehoods.”
Legal Situation and Ongoing Appeals
Combs is currently serving a four-year, two-month prison sentence after being convicted in October for transporting people across state lines for what prosecutors described as drug-fueled sex events. His legal team is appealing both the conviction and sentence, and has reportedly asked President Trump to consider a pardon.
