Lil Rod Seeks Court Approval to Serve Justin Combs and Cuba Gooding Jr. Via Newspaper Ads

Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones is requesting permission to serve legal documents to Justin Combs and Cuba Gooding Jr. through newspaper advertisements, as part of his ongoing lawsuit against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Lil Rod originally filed the lawsuit in February 2023, accusing Diddy of sexual harassment, drugging, threats, and other serious misconduct. Diddy has strongly denied the allegations, with his attorney, Erica Wolff, calling the claims “pure fiction” and labeling the lawsuit a “shameless attempt to create media hype and extract a quick settlement.” In August, Diddy filed a motion to dismiss, and while the civil RICO charges were dismissed in March 2025, a federal judge ruled that claims of sex trafficking and sexual assault could still move forward.

Justin Combs and Cuba Gooding Jr. are both named as co-defendants in the case. Lil Rod alleges that Gooding Jr. groped him during a yacht party hosted by Diddy in January 2023. Justin Combs is accused of helping facilitate some of the alleged misconduct and participating in efforts to conceal it.

COMBS AND GOODING JR. NOT SERVED

According to reports from AllHipHop, Lil Rod’s legal team has been unable to successfully serve Combs and Gooding Jr. after multiple attempts. They are now seeking the court’s approval to serve the pair through publication in both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, citing the men’s strong ties to New York and California. The team argues that without this alternative method of service, Lil Rod’s ability to pursue his claims would be unfairly obstructed.

As of now, the judge has not yet ruled on the motion.

DIDDY CASE STARTS IN MAY 2025

​Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ trial is scheduled to begin on May 5, 2025, in Manhattan federal court. He faces charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. Recently, two additional charges were added, bringing the total to five. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn awaiting trial.