Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio Estefan are preparing to sue over what they call “ridiculous” and “fantasy” claims after being falsely named in a dismissed lawsuit alleging a secret tunnel linked their Miami home to Diddy’s property for human trafficking.
The Estefans were dragged into an April 2025 civil complaint filed by Manzaro Joseph, who accused them of facilitating his transport through an underground passage to a 2015 party at Diddy’s Star Island residence.
Joseph claimed he was drugged and sexually assaulted during the event, which he alleged included celebrities like Jay-Z, Beyoncé and LeBron James — all of whom denied being in Miami at the time.
Speaking to TMZ, Emilio Estefan dismissed the entire case as fiction.
“I’m so glad they threw the whole thing out of the court because it was ridiculous. Number one, they mentioned that Beyoncé was there, Jay-Z was there, LeBron was there. None of them was in Miami. And we was not in Miami. We was here in New York,” he said.
As for the alleged tunnel, Emilio added, “You cannot have a tunnel in Star Island because it’s all water. It’s an island.”
The now-dismissed lawsuit also accused Gloria Estefan of witnessing Joseph’s condition and attempting to call for medical help, only to be stopped by Emilio — a claim both have rejected outright.
Gloria told TMZ, “Well, I’m pleased, but they are going to have some explaining to do. We have nothing to do with any of that. And it’s just sad that because we’re neighbors, you get thrown into stuff. Music will always rise to the top. And the truth.”
The Estefans are now considering a defamation lawsuit against Joseph and his legal team, claiming reputational harm and potential financial fallout.
“We’re going to have to put a lawsuit against them because, you know, we work hard to develop a reputation for many years,” Emilio said. “They’re gonna have to pay, you know, probably do like an apology and tell that all that was a set-up, try to make money.”
Joseph’s attorney, Travis R. Walker, has not publicly responded to the Estefans’ legal threats.
Diddy, who denied all wrongdoing, was acquitted of two sex trafficking charges earlier this year but convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution on July 2, 2025.
He’s set to be sentenced on October 3.
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