Diddy's Mom Claims There's a 'Public Lynching of My Son,' Admits He's 'Not Perfect'

Janice Small Combs released a statement in support of her son amid his legal woes

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ mother released a statement in support of her son as he faces federal sex trafficking charges and a slew of civil suits, calling his legal battles and the media scrutiny they've attracted as a “public lynching of my son.”

Janice Combs released the statement through her attorney, saying she was “profoundly saddened” by the allegations her son faces and asserting that he deserves a chance to “prove his innocence” in court.

“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” Janice said in her statement.

She also referenced the leaked surveillance footage of Combs appearing to assault ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in 2016, a video that prompted the mogul to later apologize. Cassie sued Combs last November, and since then multiple others have sued the Bad Boy Records founder, accusing him of abuse.

“I am not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not,” Janice Combs said. "He has made mistakes in his past, as we all have. My son may not have been entirely truthful about certain things, such as denying he has ever gotten violent with an ex-girlfriend when the hotel’s surveillance showed otherwise.”

“Sometimes, the truth and a lie become so closely intertwined that it becomes terrifying to admit one part of the story, especially when that truth is outside the norm or is too complicated to be believed,” her statement continued. “This is why I believe my son’s civil legal team opted to settle the ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit instead of contesting it until the end, resulting in a ricochet effect as the federal government used this decision against my son by interpreting it as an admission of guilt.”

Related: A Timeline of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Sexual Assault Allegations and Arrest

Combs was indicted by federal authorities on Sept. 17 and is facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges but could face up to life in prison if convicted.

“Watching the world make jokes and laugh at my son’s life crumbling before our eyes is something I can never forget,” said Janice Combs. “It is truly agonizing to watch the world turn against my son so quickly and easily over lies and misconceptions, without ever hearing his side or affording him the opportunity to present his side.”

In addition to the criminal charges, Combs is named a defendant in multiple lawsuits and could face up to 120 more after high-profile attorney Tony Buzbee claimed that many more potential accusers were planning on filing complaints.

Janice Combs suggested that accusers were making false allegations in order to secure a “quick payday” after seeing how her son settled the first lawsuit.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.  

“To make matters worse, the federal government is now using these lies to prosecute my son,” she said. “This injustice has been unbearable for our family. The worst part of this ordeal is watching my beloved son be stripped of his dignity, not for what he did, but for what people choose to believe about him.”

Janice Combs further called upon the public, as well as her son’s fans and supporters, not to rush to judgment.

“My son is not the monster they have painted him to be, and he deserves the chance to tell his side,” she said. “I can only pray that I am alive to see him speak his truth and be vindicated.”

The indictment against Sean Combs centers on alleged "freak offs," which authorities describe as elaborate sex performance with male sex workers and women who were forced or coerced into participating.

Sean Combs is being held in federal custody in Brooklyn after he was twice denied bail.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.