Fact Check: Did Leonardo DiCaprio flee the country in the aftermath of Diddy's arrest? Viral headline debunked 

Recently, a claim emerged online that actor and film producer Leonardo DiCaprio fled the country amid disgraced hip-hop magnate Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing legal troubles. The claim first surfaced on Instagram as a reel on September 27 and was uploaded by @notoriouskingvr.

“FBI reveals Leonardo DiCaprio has fled the country after Diddy warned him?!” the reel was headlined.

The reel comprised a collage of Diddy and the Titanic star’s images alongside what seemed to be a news clipping with the title, “Just Now: Leo left the US,” written on it.

However, the now-viral post has turned out to be fake. Nowhere in the Instagram reel does it provide credible evidence to support the claim. Instead, its caption had unrelated and vague details of the Tesla cybertruck.

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Leonardo DiCaprio has not left the USA following Diddy’s recent arrest

Last week, a rumor circulated on social media platforms that Leonardo DiCaprio had left the USA in the aftermath of Sean Combs’ arrest and federal indictment on September 16, after Diddy reportedly threatened him. It first surfaced on Instagram and garnered severe traction with over 89,000 likes.

Later, it also became viral on Facebook, earning over 96,000 reactions, 3,400 comments, and 1,800 shares. However, the now-viral reel had a lengthy caption that focused on the “all-electric pickup truck” designed by Elon Musk’s company, Tesla. It included its design and features, such as exterior, glass, dimensions, and more, alongside performance details, including powertrain, acceleration, towing capacity, and range.

But, nowhere did the post substantiate the rumor of Leonardo DiCaprio fleeing the country or that Diddy had something to do with it. Thus, the claim can be considered false, unfounded, and fabricated, made for the purpose of misleading and entertainment.

Notably, similar claims also arose on YouTube last week by the channels Viral Stars, PassedUs, and Binge Central. However, none of them provided verifiable, confirmed, or authentic evidence to support the claim, and hence, could be concluded as clickbait. Also, no major media outlet has reported on the Wolf of Wall Street star escaping the USA for his alleged ties to the ongoing Diddy scandal.

Just like Leonardo DiCaprio, social media platforms have been rife with rumors that Jay-Z and Steve Harvey have fled the USA amid the Diddy controversy. None of them have been proven to be true.

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Exploring Leonardo DiCaprio’s connection to Sean Combs

Sean Combs was taken into federal custody on September 16 from the Park Hyatt Hotel in New York City following a grand jury indictment. He is facing multiple felony charges, including racketeering conspiracy, s*x trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

In the wake of his arrest, several old images surfaced online, seemingly from Diddy’s now-infamous white parties that showed personalities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Aaliyah, Paris Hilton, Ashton Kutcher, Mariah Carey, and more.

One picture specifically showed Diddy, Leo, and their friends sharing a smoke while holding what appeared to be champagne glasses, reportedly from a White Party at the East Hampton home of the rapper in 1998.

However, it remains unclear whether these were the same “freak off” parties, which are now being investigated by the feds as “elaborate s*x performances” where young and often underaged girls were allegedly forced into s*xual activities with male prostitutes.

Meanwhile, Diddy’s 2018 remark to Vogue that DiCaprio was “number 1” on his invitation list for his White Parties has also resurfaced. In the wake of this, a source close to The Revenant actor told Daily Mail that he has “not been in contact” with Diddy for many years.

Besides, the insider also claimed that while the Oscar winner attended a few of his parties back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, like everybody else, he was never part of “freak offs” and had nothing to do with the ongoing Diddy scandal. They also mentioned how Leonardo DiCaprio was focused on his career and relationship and was “not thinking about” Combs’ federal case.

Notably, the Catch Me If You Can actor was spotted with the Bad Boy Records founder many times over the years, for instance, at the 2024 Democratic National Convention and the latter’s 50th birthday party in 2019.

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Diddy is currently being held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center without bond under “procedural” suicide watch, awaiting trial. He pled “not guilty” on September 17 after he was arraigned at the Manhattan Federal Court, where he was denied bail twice. If convicted, he is looking at 15 years to life in federal prison.