Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, is one of the most easily recognizable faces in the music industry. Hailing from Mississippi, he rose to fame in the 2010s for working with the likes of Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, Usher, Ellie Goulding, Chris Brown, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, and more.
However, earlier this year, the well-renowned DJ joined the laundry list of troublesome celebrities with a shady past of sexual assault and battery, and it isn't the first time he's involved in a lengthy court battle. Back in 2011, the DJ was arrested at The Standard hotel in New York City for a bar brawl before he admitted himself to anger management classes. To sum it up, here's everything we know about the DJ's criminal history and those new allegations.
9 Last Year, A Young Woman From LA Accused Him Of Grooming & Revenge Porn
In November 2020, Shelly Auguste, a young woman from Los Angeles, claimed in a lengthy thread that Diplo had "groomed" her from the age of 17 (Diplo was 36 at that time) and leaked revenge porn of her on Twitter. While the two did not meet in person until March 2018 due to the age gap, the pair still "regularly exchanged sexually explicit photos, videos, and messages," the declaration reads.
8 She Was Granted A Restraining Order By The Judge
After the allegations were brought onto the court, a Los Angeles judge finally granted a restraining order against the EDM DJ.
"We believe that act of revenge porn was done to frighten and intimidate our client and other women from coming forward," Lisa Bloom, the attorney who represented the petitioner, wrote after the testimony. "That photo, she alleges, was only in the possession of two people: herself and Diplo."
7 ... And Later Sued The DJ For Sexual Battery
Months after being granted a restraining order, Auguste sued the DJ once again for allegedly pursuing her when she was underage, engaged in intimate activities with her when she was an adult, and never disclosed he had an STI, per TMZ report. According to the new details, the DJ also tried to force her into a threesome with a girl whom she believed was underage after the DJ's show in Las Vegas in July 2019, saying that she was intoxicated at the time.
6 Rapper Azealia Banks Also Shared The Same Story
Harlem rapper Azealia Banks also shared the same story during an episode of her "Cheapys Two Cents" podcast on Soundcloud. The Fantasea rapper, who was discovered by Diplo back in 2008 under moniker Miss Bank$, said that he took advantage of her sexually in exchange for musical exposure.
"I swear, Diplo's running around telling people, 'I discovered her!' Every magazine's like, 'Diplo produced her first track "Seventeen."' No he didn't, I produced it," she told MTV on another occasion.
5 Another Woman Sued Him This Year
Another woman had also sued the EDM DJ for the same offense. As exclusively reported first by TMZ, the alleged victim claimed that the DJ forced her into performing adult activities and recorded it without her consent during an after-party following one of his Vegas shows at the Wynn in 2019. However, Bryan Freedman, the DJ's attorney, believed that there's a connection between this woman's claim and Shelly Auguste's.
"We have irrefutable evidence that this is a completely meritless claim and we will be providing it to a court as quickly as we possibly can to put an end to this shakedown by Ms. Auguste and her accomplices once and for all," said the attorney.
4 However, That Suit Was Dismissed
A few weeks later, the unnamed woman dropped the latest sexual misconduct case, telling TMZ that she "regrets filing it in the first place." According to her, there was no payment offered or requested, and she voluntarily withdrew her lawsuit.
"There was absolutely irrefutable evidence that proved that the allegations it contained were false. As soon as we shared that plethora of evidence with the plaintiff's lawyers, they recognized that they needed to withdraw their suit immediately," Diplo's attorney told TMZ.
3 The Baltimore Orioles Canceled His Postgame Concert Amidst The Allegations
The Baltimore Orioles, a Maryland-based professional baseball team, canceled the DJ's postgame show amidst the height of the accusations.
"The Orioles will not hold the upcoming postgame performance on July 24 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards," the team took to Twitter. "Fans who purchased field passes with game tickets to the Diplo concert on July 24 will receive a refund."
2 These Allegations Were Not The First Two Times He Was Accused Of Grooming
Ironically, these two cases were not the first time Diplo was associated with predatory vibes. Last year, 19-year-old TikTok star Quenlin Blackwell revealed that she had been living with the producer, and it didn't take too long for the information to raise some eyebrows online.
"I'm an adult. I'm not being groomed. Platonic relationships exist. I've been living here for over a year," she quickly defended the DJ over the grooming accusation. "I'd rather break both of my legs and be forced to walk than pursue Diplo romantically, and he'd rather choke."
1 At The Same Time, He's Still Out There Releasing Music
However, these suits don't seem to phase the DJ's career, at least not at this time. Recently, he'd teamed up with Damian Lazarus & Jungle for the summer anthem "Don't Be Afraid" with a well-put accompanying music video. The single was released via his Higher Ground imprint.