Fact Check: Did Steve Harvey leave country amid Diddy's arrest as claimed in viral video?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A wild claim about beloved comedian and host Steve Harvey is making the rounds on the internet. According to a YouTube video, Harvey fled the country right after hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested.

The video was posted on the CELEB LIVE channel on Wednesday, September 25, with a catchy title: “FBI Hunting Steve Harvey After He FLEES The Country On Diddy’s ARREST Day!”

The video took off like crazy, racking up nearly a million views in less than 24 hours. People were all over it, with more than 11,000 likes and over 3,200 comments. However, the whole thing is completely fake.

Debunking viral rumor about Steve Harvey

While the story may seem intriguing, the video does not furnish any substantial evidence to support claims that Steve Harvey fled the country or was involved in Diddy's arrest. There is no verified information to corroborate these assertions.

It turns out that CELEB LIVE — the YouTube channel behind the video — has a disclaimer in their description admitting that their content might be “gossip, rumors, exaggerated, or indirectly beside the truth.”

The video runs for about 18 minutes with a clickbait headline saying, “He’ll Be Arrested Next,” and even features a photo of Harvey in an orange prison jumpsuit made to look like a mugshot.

However, the image is fabricated and is likely either AI-generated or photoshopped. The video does not provide any evidence that Steve Harvey left the country, nor does it establish any connection between him and Diddy’s legal troubles.

Real story behind Diddy's arrest

In case you missed it, Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested on September 16 at a luxury New York City hotel. He’s facing some serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, coercion, and transportation for prostitution, according to Forbes.

The day after his arrest, he appeared in Manhattan Federal Court and pleaded "not guilty." However, he was denied bail.

So, how does Steve Harvey fit into this situation? In short, he does not. There is no credible evidence linking Harvey to Diddy’s alleged criminal activities. The viral YouTube video scarcely mentions Harvey in connection with Diddy.

When the video does mention Harvey, it primarily focuses on his career, including his tenure as the host of 'Family Feud,' as well as some gossip regarding his personal life—none of which is connected to Diddy’s legal issues.

This is not the first instance in which CELEB LIVE has made outrageous claims about Harvey. Earlier this year, in June, the same channel released a video asserting that Harvey had been arrested “for involvement in crimes committed by co-host Shirley’s husband.” Spoiler alert: that allegation was also entirely fabricated.

Moreover, Steve Harvey is not the only target. Following Diddy’s arrest, various viral videos began circulating that claimed Jay-Z had either been arrested, fled the country, or had his homes raided. These rumors were also promptly debunked.

Steve Harvey deletes old tweet about Diddy

Amid all the speculation and rumors, one notable development that caught people’s attention was Steve Harvey's quiet deletion of an old tweet regarding Diddy.

On September 22, Harvey took to X (formerly Twitter) and removed a post he had made in November 2017 praising Diddy for his philanthropic efforts. “My brother @Diddy is doing a world of good for these kids."

Naturally, with the internet's inherent scrutiny, people noticed the deletion immediately, leading to even more gossip and speculation.

Some individuals online drew comparisons between Harvey’s actions and those of other celebrities such as Usher, Megan Fox, and Pink, who have also deleted or deactivated their social media accounts recently.

While Usher later clarified that his situation was the result of a hack, the other celebrities, including Harvey, have remained silent regarding the reasons behind their decisions to clean up their online presence.