Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio have efficiently secured court-ordered sanctions towards an legal professional who filed what a federal decide deemed a baseless lawsuit accusing them of involvement in a weird alleged sex-trafficking scheme tied to Diddy.
U.S. District Choose Donald M. Middlebrooks dominated that legal professional Travis Walker should pay $7,500 for submitting an amended criticism that included “objectively frivolous” claims with out correct investigation.
The lawsuit, filed by Palm Seaside resident Manzaro Joseph, alleged he was drugged and kidnapped in 2015, then transported by a non-existent underground tunnel from the Estefans’ former Star Island property to Diddy’s close by house, the place he claimed a number of celebrities assaulted him.
The courtroom discovered the allegations “past implausible,” citing geographical impossibilities and public information that straight contradicted the timeline and presence of the accused.
Estefan’s authorized staff had warned Walker prematurely. Letters despatched on April 2 and April 28, 2025, outlined obvious inconsistencies in Joseph’s story, together with the declare of a tunnel between the houses.
Engineers confirmed that Star Island’s man-made basis and excessive water desk make such a construction bodily inconceivable. The letters additionally famous that LeBron James, one other named defendant, was enjoying NBA video games in Cleveland in the course of the alleged occasions.
Regardless of these warnings, Walker filed an amended criticism on April 11. The decide dismissed it on July 24, calling it a “shotgun pleading” that lacked readability and construction.
The subsequent day, Estefan’s attorneys filed a movement for sanctions.
Choose Middlebrooks agreed that Walker failed to fulfill the authorized normal for pre-filing investigation. The courtroom mentioned Walker relied closely on Joseph’s account with out verifying key information.
He submitted imprecise surveillance stills, a redacted police report with incorrect dates and an affidavit from Guillermo Farinas—a suspended legal professional beforehand sanctioned for submitting meritless lawsuits with the identical plaintiff.
Walker argued he had reviewed medical information, police paperwork and spoken to witnesses. However the courtroom discovered these efforts inadequate, particularly given the high-profile nature of the defendants and the intense nature of the accusations.
The decide wrote that “an affordable legal professional would have finished extra investigation.”
The courtroom declined to sanction Joseph, citing attainable psychological well being considerations and emphasizing that the accountability rested along with his legal professional.
The Estefans, who bought their Star Island house to Diddy in 2021, have denied any involvement within the alleged occasions.
Gloria Estefan beforehand dismissed the tunnel declare as “fantasy,” and Emilio Estefan has publicly vowed to pursue authorized motion towards Joseph and his authorized staff.
“We’re going to need to put a lawsuit towards them as a result of, you realize, we work onerous to develop a repute for a few years,” Emilio mentioned. “They’re gonna need to pay, you realize, in all probability do like an apology and inform that each one that was a set-up, attempt to become profitable.”
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