Gloria and Emilio Estefan are not holding back. Emilio, the celebrated music producer and husband of pop icon Gloria Estefan, is threatening legal action against an accuser of Sean “Diddy” Combs. The couple was dragged into a wild lawsuit centered around a supposed “freak off” party at Diddy’s Miami home.
“They will have to explain themselves,” Gloria, 67, told TMZ on Saturday, August 23. She shrugged off the claims. “I wasn’t worried. I didn’t need any relief. It’s just a fantasy!”
The accusations describe a bizarre incident from a 2015 party for Diddy’s son, Christian Combs. The Estefans and Diddy used to be neighbors on Miami’s exclusive Star Island. In fact, Gloria and Emilio sold Diddy a house there in 2021.
Back in April, a man named Manzaro Joseph filed a lawsuit. He claimed he was taken through a secret tunnel under the Estefans’ house. This tunnel supposedly led to Diddy’s property. There, Joseph alleged he suffered sexual assault and other “degrading and non-consensual acts.” Emilio was initially named in the lawsuit alongside Diddy. This was because the alleged victim reportedly passed through a back door on the Estefans’ property.
Joseph also claimed that Gloria saw him in distress and wanted to call for an ambulance. But, he said, Emilio pulled his wife away. A court dismissed all claims against Emilio on July 24. However, Joseph was given more time to change his lawsuit.
Speaking to TMZ on Saturday, Gloria stated that she and Emilio had “nothing to do” with the claims against Diddy. She believed they were only “included” in the lawsuit because they lived near the troubled music mogul on Star Island.
Her 72-year-old husband, Emilio, pointed out flaws in the accuser’s story during the same interview. Joseph had mentioned that Jay-Z and Beyoncé were also at the party. This detail turned out to be false. Jay-Z and Beyoncé were removed from the lawsuit in April 2025. Their lawyers proved they were not in Miami when the alleged assault happened, according to reports from People.
“We weren’t in Miami either,” Emilio insisted. “We were here in New York.”
Emilio also argued that building a tunnel on Star Island is impossible. The area has water running beneath the entire neighborhood.
Emilio and Gloria Estefan pictured in May 2025. Romain Maurice/Getty Images
“We’re going to have to sue them,” Emilio declared. “We worked hard to build our reputation over many years. We have a family, and sometimes it hurts the children to hear these things.”
He continued, saying, “I hope people realize… people need to be more careful when doing something like this. It truly harms many. All the fans, everyone, was very worried. I wasn’t worried because it’s ridiculous.”
Us Weekly reported on August 5 that Gloria submitted a statement to the court. In it, she strongly denied Emilio had any part in the alleged incident. She explained that a family member and their young child lived in the home from 2012 to 2019. Gloria added that no stranger could have passed through the property “after midnight in early April 2015” without her knowing.
“At no time was there any ‘tunnel’ between the two houses, at least not while we owned [the house sold to Diddy],” she wrote. “Based on many years of experience with the city of Miami Beach, I believe this fact could have been easily checked in public records. I was never at [Diddy’s] house. [Diddy] was never at our residence or the family home, except after he bought the family home in 2021.”
Diddy’s lawyer also denied all claims. He stated, “This complaint shows how far plaintiffs will go to make headlines hoping for a payout. No sane person reading this lawsuit could believe this story. [Diddy] looks forward to his day in court, where these lies and the malicious motives of those who told them will be revealed.”
Joseph’s lawsuit is separate from Diddy’s federal trial in New York City. There, Diddy was cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering charges in July. However, he was found guilty of two counts of transportation for prostitution. He could face up to 20 years in prison for those convictions.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).