Diddy is the victim of a “smear campaign,” according to former Bad Boy Records signee E.Ness, who insists that the mogul didn’t really commit the alleged crimes he’s being taken to court for.

On the latest episode of the Directed by CEO Nafees podcast, which dropped on Thursday (March 14), the 47-year-old shared his thought’s on the businessman’s  recent troubles with the law.

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“It’s a smear campaign,” he said after explaining that he’d known Diddy for years and even watched his children grow up. “That’s what’s happening with Puff. It’s a smear campaign.

“And what they usually do is they go to your personal habits. They start attacking your personal habits, your girlfriends, your exes. Then they try to find something to attack you through those vessels.”

Check out E.Ness’s claims at the 3:50 mark below:

HHDX YouTube Video Player - Play ButtonDiddy E.Ness Smear Campaign

Aside from the multiple allegations recently brought against him for sexual harassment and misconduct, the charter school Diddy founded in Harlem in 2016 has reportedly faced a string of serious problems.

In an exposé written by The Cutearlier this month, it was revealed that the Capital Prep hasn’t followed through on its promises to provide an “elite education” to poor Black students who otherwise wouldn’t have access to certain resources.

Diddy Spotted Catching Kanye West's Rolling Loud Set With His Kids
Diddy Spotted Catching Kanye West's Rolling Loud Set With His Kids

Instead, the article says, the institution has been plagued by teacher shortages, high turnover rates and students who don’t learn subjects for months at a time. It also claims that fights are frequent, communication with parents are all but nonexistent and that the NYPD has been called on students when the administration (which is apparently already in flux, having gone through seven principals in just as many years) was unable to get a handle on the students.

All of this, according to Capital Prep parents, has created a culture of “fear and chaos.”

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For its part, the school denied the article’s conclusions in a statement.

“We accept and are saddened that some scholars and colleagues were not pleased with their experience,” Shenique Coston, director of communications and development for the school’s network, wrote in a statement to The Cut. “However, we affirmatively state that many of the allegations included in your fact-checking list are fabrications.”

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Representatives for Diddy and Capital Prep co-founder Dr. Stephen Perry did not respond to requests for comment from the magazine.

Back in November, Perry released a statement confirming that the charter school network had parted ways with Diddy.

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“Following a comprehensive evaluation, a decision has been made to end the partnership between Capital Preparatory Schools and Sean Combs,” the statement read. “While this decision was not made lightly, we firmly believe it is in the best interest of our organization’s health and future.”