Did TMZ publish real photos of Diddy hanging out in the Fort Dix federal prison yard with fellow inmates? No, that's not true: The images bear a fake TMZ watermark. The celebrity news outlet published an article to clarify that the images circulating are fake. They instructed readers, "If you see these sorts of pics or videos on socials, especially those with TMZ watermarks, just go to tmz.com and see if it's on our site. If it's not, you know it ain't real."
One example of a social media post with the fake image was posted on X (archived here) by @EXECUTIVEXMEDIA on November 30, 2025. It was captioned:
Diddy spotted laughing with a gay inmate - via TMZ
This is a screenshot of the image with the fake TMZ watermark:
(Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot from x.com/EXECUTIVEXMEDIA/status/1995239097812783559.)
On December 1, 2025 TMZ posted two images on X (archived here), the image pictured above, as well as the one pictured below. The caption, which links to an article, reads:
😅 So, we've seen the viral pics of Diddy at Fort Dix federal prison... and we hate to burst your bubble but these ain't real.
Exclusive details: http://tmz.me/hYH6NQu
(Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot from x.com/TMZ/status/1995531413538345014.)
The TMZ article (archived here) published on December 1, 2025 is titled, "Diddy Slapped by A.I. in Prison!!! Mogul's Rep Hits Back at Fake Images". It begins:
Diddy can't stop hugging his fellow inmates and posing for pics with them ... at least that's how some new photos and videos make it seem, except those images are really just A.I. running amok!
The article finishes with a statement about the fake photos from Diddy's rep Juda Engelmayer:
These images are not real. They are A.I. fabrications. Sean has always treated people with kindness and respect, but it's disconcerting how often manipulated or AI-generated images are being pushed into the conversation while he is in a federal facility. Nothing in these doctored photos reflects reality.
Also included in the December 1, 2025 article is one real photo which TMZ had published in an October 31, 2025 article (archived here) titled, "Diddy Gray Beard in the Yard!!! First Prison Pic". The grainy photo (see below) looking down into the yard from a distance was shot through an expanded diamond metal grill. It shows a man with a gray beard in a blue coat and orange hat.
(Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot from tmz.com/2025/10/31/first-diddy-prison-photo.)
