Singer Aubrey O’Day has spoken out following music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sentencing, calling his downfall a “cautionary reminder” about the dangers of abuse and exploitation in the entertainment industry.
On Friday, October 3, a New York judge sentenced Diddy to 50 months in prison and fined him $50,000 after he was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.
During the seven-week trial, several women, including Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, testified that the rapper physically and sexually abused them. Their accounts detailed disturbing incidents involving drugs, violence, and multi-day encounters with prostitutes.
O’Day, who rose to fame on Diddy’s MTV show Making the Band as a member of the girl group Danity Kane, has previously accused the producer of sexual harassment and manipulation. She claimed he “groomed” her during her time on the show and that she once carried a “butcher knife” out of fear of retaliation for speaking out.
Following Diddy’s sentencing, O’Day shared a powerful message on social media directed at young people chasing fame. “The true warning is not that a jury may doubt your testimony, nor that a court’s sentencing guidelines may fail to reflect the years of suffering you endured,” she wrote. “The real warning is this: the moment someone in a position of power oversteps your boundaries or demands more than is legitimately required of you, walk away and do not look back.”
She continued, “No dream, however bright, can outweigh the pain and exploitation that may follow if you remain. Too often, those who misuse their power, even when exposed, face far fewer consequences than the harm inflicted upon their victims. Protect yourself at the first sign of coercion or impropriety. If something feels wrong, trust that instinct and remove yourself from the situation. Your well-being is worth more than any opportunity.”
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