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Maui police chief John Pelletier has been named as a co-conspirator in the amended lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The lawsuit was filed by a woman named Ashley Parham at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on March 7, 2025.
The plaintiff has accused Pelletier of serving as a security and facilitator for the hip-hop mogul in Las Vegas. Parham alleged that John occasionally impersonated law enforcement from other jurisdictions.
In the wake of the accusations, Maui mayor Richard Bissen has put John Pelletier on administrative leave awaiting further investigation, as per Khon2. In a letter to the Maui Police Commission obtained by the outlet, Bissen stated that the temporary suspension was a “precedent’ within Maui County while “allegations” against an official were being assessed.
“This approach does not constitute a presumption of guilt but ensures that the individual in question is not in a position that may compromise the integrity of the office while the matter is under review,” Bissen explained.
Meanwhile, Maui Police Department spokesperson Alana Pico has denied the allegations on John Pelletier’s behalf, calling them “entirely unfounded.” She also mentioned that the chief had “no connections whatsoever” to anyone named in the suit.
“We are confident that the evidence will demonstrate these claims to be false and will expose those who are deliberately trying to manipulate the legal system to spread misleading narratives,” Pico shared in a media statement.
John Pelletier was appointed Maui police chief in 2021. Before that, he served in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for 22 years.
More about John Pelletier’s link to the Diddy lawsuit
According to Ashley Parham’s amended civil suit, John Pelletier reportedly acted as Diddy’s muscle in 2018 while working for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, in both Vegas and California. The 90-page lawsuit accused the Maui police chief of posing as the sheriff of Contra Costa, California, to “deter” Parham from filing an alleged r*pe charge at the time.
Ashley alleged that Pelletier did not call emergency services, nor did he offer to take her home/hospital or help her recover her belongings from Shane Pearce’s home, where she was reportedly gangr**ed by Combs. She accused John Pelletier of purportedly bribing a neighbor in exchange for their silence.
Two anonymous individuals, co-plaintiffs in the suit, accused Pelletier of reportedly arresting them at gunpoint in Las Vegas, seemingly showing a fake warrant, and later detaining them at his home in California, where they allegedly witnessed Parham's assault.
Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that John Pelletier maintained a safe house list for Diddy’s infamous parties and misled local law enforcement from interfering, claiming a federal investigation was ongoing.
The Maui police chief has since denied the allegations. His representative told Khon2 that in 2018, John Pelletier was a captain in the Las Vegas police department and was “honored” by the R*pe Crisis Center for his “exceptional leadership and commitment to community safety, specifically through his role as a champion of the Stay S.A.F.E. program dedicated to s*xual assault prevention.”
“These baseless allegations not only harm Chief Pelletier but also show a lack of respect for victims of abuse, whose voices deserve to be heard and supported with compassion and integrity,” the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen has recommended that Chief Pelletier be put on administrative leave ‘given the gravity of the allegations.” Additionally, he has urged the Commission to “conduct its own independent review rather than waiting for the resolution of the federal case.”
“While the allegations in the amended complaint remain unproven, they are serious in nature and involve claims of alleged criminal conduct. As with any such legal matter, due process must be observed, but the existence of these allegations alone presents concerns regarding public trust and the effective functioning of the department,” Richard noted.
He concluded:
“Taking proactive steps will demonstrate the County’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical governance.”
Apart from the Maui police chief, several other celebrities have been named in the amended suit for allegedly facilitating Diddy's alleged crimes, including NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. and comedian Druski, who are accused of drugging and r*pe. Other co-defendants include Kristina Khorram, Shane Pearce, Jaguart Wright, Big Homie.CC, and Diddy's mother, Janice Combs, among others.
Ashley Parham originally filed the lawsuit in October 2024 alongside two other unnamed plaintiffs, identified as the mother-son duo Jane and John Doe. The suit accused the defendants of outnumbering the plaintiff, as well as drugging, s*xually assaulting, and other allegations. Ashley has also previously alleged that Combs gangr**ed her at his private residence in the Bay Area in 2018.
