Costco found themselves inadvertently dragged into the narrative surrounding Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex crimes.
Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, shared his doubt at reports that the feds seized 1,000 bottles of baby oil, and told TMZ while speaking with them for their documentary The Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment, saying the rapper, 54, just “buys in bulk” because he lives near a Costco.
It was perhaps just an oddly-timed joke made by Agnifilo — who must not have seen how poorly it went over when The View hosts joked about the case — but regardless, a spokesperson for Costco stepped in on Thursday, September 26 to clarify that Diddy did not get the baby oil from them.
In a statement to TMZ, the spokesperson reported that none of the company’s U.S. locations carry baby oil. Cursory searches of the Costco website seem to confirm this, as there is no baby oil or body oil to be found. The same phrases searched at the website for Sam’s Club — a competitor of Costco — yielded similar results.
Sean “Diddy” Combs attends City of Hope’s 2023 Music, Film & Entertainment Industry Spirit of Life® Gala honoring Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music at YouTube and Google at Pacific Design Center on October 18, 2023 in West Hollywood, California. In September 2024, Costco denied claims that Diddy may have purchased baby oil in bulk from one of their stores.
Lester Cohen/Getty Images
The “1,000 bottles of baby oil” were seized — along with narcotics — during federal raids of the rapper’s Miami and Los Angeles homes in March. An unsealed indictment released on September 17 following the Bad Boy Records producer’s arrest alleges that Diddy used such items in what he called “Freak Offs.”
Federal prosecutors alleged the mogul “used force” to “cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during and often electronically recorded.”
The indictment also states that Diddy’s alleged criminal activity dates back 16 years to 2008, when he allegedly committed racketeering. He reportedly started sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in 2009.
As of Thursday, September 26, a male sex worker has reportedly come forward to police with a sex tape documenting such “Freak Offs.” The man — who was said to have signed a proffer agreement so he can speak to federal investigators without fear of prosecution — reportedly has proof of an encounter from May 2023, for which he was allegedly flown to Miami from Atlanta to meet with Diddy.
Diddy is currently being held in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) — as part of protocol for high-profile inmates — at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center while he awaits trial on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, cause or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution charges.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to https://www.rainn.org/
