An image shows Kamala Harris and the rapper Sean Combs, also known by stage name Diddy, at an event with another woman.
The image has been altered. The real picture shows Ms Harris with TV host and actor Montel Williams at an event in 2001. His face has been replaced in the edited picture being shared.
A picture shared on social media has been altered so that it appears to show US Vice President Kamala Harris—the Democrat presidential candidate in the upcoming election—being photographed with the rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
The image has been posted many times on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, with the caption: “The Diddy Client List goes all the way to the top.”
It has been circulating as the rapper, who has also used the stage names Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is facing charges in the US for sex trafficking, drug possession and firearms offences. The 54-year-old has pleaded not guilty.
The picture appears to show Mr Combs with his arm round the Democratic presidential candidate and another woman.
However, real versions of the image show Ms Harris posing with a different man, the American television host and actor Montel Williams, as well as his daughter, Ashley Williams, at a charity event in California in May 2001.
Ms Harris and Mr Williams previously had a brief relationship in the 2000s. Mr Williams has criticised recent social media posts confusing him with Mr Combs.
While the image may appear obviously edited, many on social media are sharing it as if it is genuine.
We have fact checked a number of misleading and false claims about the candidates in the run-up to the November US presidential election, including that Ms Harris was wearing earphone earrings during a debate and that Donald Trump insulted soldiers during a call on Fox News.
It’s important to consider whether an image really shows what it claims before sharing it online. Our guide to spotting misleading images can help you do this.
Update 20 September 2024
The headline of this article has been updated to refer to the specific picture circulating online.
This article is part of our work fact checking potentially false pictures, videos and stories on Facebook. You can read more about this—and find out how to report Facebook content—here. For the purposes of that scheme, we’ve rated this claim as altered because the image has been altered to impose Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs's face over the original, which featured Kamala Harris with Montel Williams.
Full Fact fights for good, reliable information in the media, online, and in politics.
Bad information ruins lives. It promotes hate, damages people’s health, and hurts democracy. You deserve better.