Diplo Accused of Distributing Revenge Porn, Again
The Los Angeles city attorney’s office is reviewing accusations of distributing revenge porn made against Diplo, according to Pitchfork. Shelly Auguste filed a police report with the Los Angeles Police Department in August accusing the musician (born Thomas Wesley Pentz) of distributing nude photos of her without consent. In November, the LAPD submitted the case to the city attorney’s office. “For more than three years, Shelly Auguste has been orchestrating an ongoing smear campaign against Wes — and this is just more of the same,” attorney for Diplo, Bryan J. Freedman, stated. “Ms. Auguste has already been the subject of a restraining order, the violation of which resulted in an arbitrator’s ruling and a court judgment of more than $1.2 million in damages because of her misconduct. Her recent attempt to enlist a co-conspirator to shake down Wes in a bogus lawsuit fell apart within days when indisputable evidence disproved her story, and the case was dismissed.” Auguste applied for a new restraining order in September 2023, which was granted, and in October it was extended through the end of 2023. Diplo made a request for his own restraining order, but it was denied, Pitchfork reported.
Auguste previously accused Diplo of distributing nude video of her without her consent in 2020 and filed a different police report in November of that year. Through his attorneys, Diplo denied those accusations. “To be clear, in no way has my client violated any law,” Freedman told the Daily Beast and Pitchfork in a statement. “In fact, he has repeatedly made it clear that he wants nothing whatsoever to do with this person — and simply needs her ongoing harassment of his family to end.” She was granted a temporary restraining order, and weeks later Diplo was granted his own, alleging she showed his “naked body from behind” on social media, among other claims. Both orders were dismissed in January 2021 when lawyers from both parties skipped a hearing.
Diplo sued Auguste for monetary damages four months later, accusing Auguste of stalking, trespassing, and distributing private materials. Then, in October 2021, the L.A. city attorney’s office confirmed they were looking into Auguste’s 2020 report claiming the DJ had sexually explicit interactions with her while she was 17, additionally accusing him of sexual assault and knowingly infecting her with chlamydia. “She has been peddling her lies around the country in a desperate attempt to harm Wes and those he loves, but she will not succeed,” Diplo’s attorney told Vulture at the time. Diplo himself responded with a ten-page Instagram post including screenshots of messages allegedly between himself and Auguste.
That June, Auguste sued him back for sexual battery, gender violence, intentional intrusion into private affairs, battery, assault, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and fraud, as well as violation of the Ralph Civil Rights Act and violation of the Tom Bane Civil Rights Act. Last year, an arbitrator awarded Diplo $1.2 million as a result of a violation of the Dual Restraining Order agreement which barred public posts about the dispute.
“I think it’s time the music industry stops enabling the perpetual abuse that occurs,” Auguste said in a statement to Pitchfork. “I have been silenced for far too long. I hope that with this restraining order I can finally gain peace and protection. I hope that with the criminal investigation, the justice system gets it right this time.” The civil trial is set to start in April 2024.
This story has been updated throughout with additional information and a new statement from Bryan Freedman.
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