Video of Justin Bieber discussing Combs trial is fake
- Published on May 16, 2025 at 16:42
- Updated on May 16, 2025 at 17:03
- 3 min read
- By AFP USA
Copyright © AFP 2017-2025. Any commercial use of this content requires a subscription. Click here to find out more.
"Justin Bieber could be called to testify in the Diddy trial. Here's what we know so far," says the caption of a May 8, 2025 post on TikTok.
The video, which appears to show Bieber saying he's "absolutely gonna testify," has tens of thousands of reactions -- including one user who said: "Yes please stand up for yourself."
It quickly spread across platforms, receiving thousands more engagements on X, Instagram and Facebook.
In September 2024, Combs was charged in Manhattan federal court with sex trafficking and other offenses (archived here). The trial opened in May 2025 with explosive testimony from the music mogul's ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura.
As allegations surfaced in court, a web of conspiracy theories swirled online, threatening to shroud the facts surrounding the high-profile celebrity trial. Among them are unverified claims about Bieber, who was associated with Combs when he was a teenager.
But AFP reporters covering the trial say there has been no indication that Bieber will appear in court and reverse image searches reveal the clip has been altered from an April 29, 2022 interview the Canadian pop star gave to SiriusXM (archived here).
In the nearly seven-minute interview, he sports the same red beanie and grey hoodie. A review of the transcript shows no mention of possible court testimony or Combs.
Further searches of the clip's visuals reveal the same footage was previously altered to fabricate purported endorsements of individuals and businesses.
Careful observation of the clip spreading in 2025, shows asynchronization between Bieber's lips and supposed speech. The text overlaid on the video is placed close to his mouth, obscuring some of the manipulation.
Other indications that the clip is fake come from the TikTok account that shared the video, FNN News. It says in its bio that it shares "BIG STORIES, FAKE NEWS UPDATES."
AFP contacted representatives for Bieber regarding the trial, but no response was forthcoming. In a statement given to TMZ they said: "Although Justin is not among Sean Combs's victims, there are individuals who were genuinely harmed by him. Shifting focus away from this reality detracts from the justice these victims rightfully deserve."
Read more of AFP's reporting on misinformation around Combs here.
This article was updated with a statement Justin Bieber's representative gave to TMZ.May 16, 2025 This article was updated with a statement Justin Bieber's representative gave to TMZ.
Is there content that you would like AFP to fact-check? Get in touch.
Contact us
