Fact Check: Did Gayle King sue Oprah Winfrey over Diddy allegations as claimed in viral video?
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It seems like no major celebrity scandal can pass by without dragging other famous names into the whirlwind, and that’s exactly what happened after Sean "Diddy" Combs’ arrest on September 16.
Shortly after, a bizarre rumor started making the rounds on social media involving two of the biggest names in TV – Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey. The rumor? Oprah's longtime friend King was suing her over allegations tied to Diddy's legal troubles. But let's be real: this tale is all fiction.
Where did Oprah-Gayle rumor come from?
The buzz around King Gayle and Oprah Winfrey began after Diddy was arrested on some pretty serious charges. As of September 22, people were already asking questions: with one Snopes reader even emailing to ask, "Is it true that Gayle King is suing Oprah over P 'Diddy' allegations? I saw something on Facebook."
That’s the kind of headline that would make anyone do a double-take, but Snopes quickly pointed out that the rumor was bogus. There’s absolutely no truth to any claims that King was suing Winfrey or had anything to do with Diddy’s situation.
The rumor started spreading in the wake of Diddy's arrest, as people online frantically shared misleading clips and headlines. According to Snopes, there’s no evidence to back up any of the claims that King and Winfrey were involved in Combs’ alleged crimes.
Serious federal charges against Diddy
Now, about those charges. The rumor frenzy coincided with Diddy’s arrest on September 16, when the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York charged him with some major federal crimes. We’re talking racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The Associated Press noted how Diddy built an empire in the music industry — racking up hits, signing major artists, and even taking home three Grammy Awards. He also dabbled in fashion, liquor, and beyond. But all that success came crashing down when he was arrested in New York.
The indictment accuses Diddy of using his fame and clout to exploit both women and men in events he called "Freak Offs," with allegations of abuse going back to 2008. If convicted, the music mogul could face a minimum of 15 years behind bars. He’s currently awaiting trial after pleading not guilty.
Viral rumor machine on Facebook
The rumor about Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey didn’t just appear out of nowhere. It came courtesy of shady gossip pages targeting Black celebrities, particularly on Facebook. Most of these pages — including one called "Billy Benjamin" — are managed by folks in Indonesia, according to Facebook’s "page transparency" feature.
On August 12, the Billy Benjamin page shared a 43-second video with the bold title: "Gayle King Files Major Lawsuit Against Oprah Winfrey Over 'Diddy's' Schemes." The video went viral, racking up a whopping 355,000 views. Similar videos were posted on the same page, all featuring exaggerated claims with little to no credible sources.
The video’s AI-generated narration, which didn’t name any real sources, stated: "Today, we're diving into a sensational story shaking the media world. Rumors are swirling that Gayle King has filed a lawsuit against her long-time friend Oprah Winfrey, accusing Oprah of implicating her in 'Diddy's' ongoing scandal. Let's unravel this tale of friendship, drama, and legal battles."
The narrator then went on to claim that King’s reputation had been damaged by Oprah’s alleged comments linking her to the scandal. "Now, Gayle's name has surfaced, and she's taking legal action, claiming Oprah's comments have unintentionally damaged her reputation," it said.
Of course, there’s no truth to any of this. No reputable outlets picked up on the story, no interviews were conducted, and there’s zero evidence that King filed any sort of lawsuit against Oprah. It was nothing more than clickbait to generate views.
Why did people believe rumors about Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey?
So, how did such a fake rumor gain so much traction? A lot of it comes down to the fact that Oprah, Gayle, and Diddy have all been photographed together at various events over the years. It’s no secret that Oprah and Gayle are tight—they’ve been friends since the 1970s—and Diddy has been a fixture in the entertainment industry for decades.
These kinds of photos — where celebrities are seen smiling or posing together — can often lead people to make assumptions about their relationships. But in reality, a picture is just a snapshot in time and it doesn’t immediately mean there’s some shady connection or, as in this case, any involvement in criminal activities.
This isn’t the first time a rumor related to Diddy has blown up online. Social media loves a good scandal and Diddy’s legal woes have become a hotbed for baseless speculation. Earlier, there was even a false claim that Bishop TD Jakes had resigned from his position at The Potter’s House megachurch because of some alleged connection to Diddy’s crimes.
Like the Oprah-Gayle lawsuit story, this too was completely unfounded and only designed to garner views, Snopes reported.
