Viral photo of Kamala Harris and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is fake

Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested on Sept. 16 and charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.

The indictment says for more than a decade, Combs led a criminal enterprise whose members and associates committed crimes including sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice. Combs is accused of inducing victims into sometimes dayslong sexual performances known as “freak offs,” the indictment says. 

In the days following the indictment, an image went viral appearing to show a younger Vice President Kamala Harris standing next to Combs. Former President Donald Trump reposted the image on Truth Social, but that repost has since been deleted. Other posts sharing  the image suggest Harris may have been connected to Combs’ illegal activity.

Several VERIFY readers asked us if the image is real.

THE QUESTION

Is the image of Kamala Harris and Sean “Diddy” Combs real?

THE SOURCES

• Original Getty Images photo from May 18, 2001
• Inside Edition video from Aug. 8, 2019
• RevEye, a reverse image search tool

THE ANSWER

No, the image of Kamala Harris and Sean “Diddy” Combs isn’t real. 

WHAT WE FOUND

The viral image appearing to show Kamala Harris with Sean “Diddy” Combs isn’t real. It is a manipulated image created using a 2001 photo of Harris with talk show host Montel Williams.

Using RevEye, a reverse image search tool, VERIFY traced the viral image back to a 2001 Getty Images photo showing Harris with Williams, whom she used to date, and his daughter Ashley at the 8th Annual Race to Erase Multiple Sclerosis in Los Angeles.

The manipulated image shows Combs' head on Williams' body.  Most everything else in the fake image – including the faces and dresses of Harris and Williams' daughter – match the original.

There are elements of the image that are clear indicators that Combs’ head was added to the photo. For example, Combs’ head is in sharper focus than the rest of the image. The skin tone and lighting also doesn’t match.  

Inside Edition also published archival video from the event. At the 8-second mark, Harris and Williams are in the same attire in front of the same background as the image. 

In 2001, Harris was leading San Francisco’s Family and Children's Services Division. She ran for San Francisco district attorney and won in 2002. VERIFY reached out to Harris’ campaign but did not hear back at the time of publication.