Candace Owens examines alleged link between Diddy and Epstein cases, calling them “sophisticated blackmail operations” run by the “deep state”

Candace Owens recently delved into the controversial topic of a supposed connection between Sean Diddy Combs and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. In the August 1, 2025, episode of her eponymous podcast, Owens alleged that both men were part of a larger, coordinated scheme controlled by powerful forces within the U.S. government.

"In case you are wondering how Diddy and Epstein are connected, it’s because both of these were two very sophisticated blackmail operations that were being run by the deep state," Candace Owens said.

For context, Owens’ remarks about the alleged connections between Diddy and Epstein surfaced as she referenced a July 30, 2025, TMZ report.

According to the report, sources close to the matter claimed the White House was “more than open” to granting a pardon to Sean Combs.

Combs, who had been convicted of transporting individuals for prostitution, was acquitted of more severe charges, including racketeering and s*x trafficking.

The TMZ report suggested that Trump was awaiting Judge Arun Subramanian’s ruling on Diddy’s most recent bail petition before making a final decision.

Additionally, the recent surge in public interest surrounding the late financier, particularly the release of the long-rumored 'Epstein files,' had placed Trump’s administration under renewed scrutiny.

Against this backdrop, Owens raised questions about Trump’s motivations in allegedly considering intervention on Combs’ behalf.

"Why would Trump move to interject on a person that has clearly been involved in something very sinister? Why is there a Department of Justice even thinking or weighing this case at all?" she asked.

Owens then answered her question by asserting that Trump’s alleged willingness to consider a pardon, even as his administration faced scrutiny over the Epstein scandal, was due to “deep state” involvement.

According to Owens, both Combs and Epstein were involved in operations run by "the deep state".

"By the deep state, I mean the CIA and the MSAD who have been working together since you know ‘they’ shot JFK. And by ‘they’ I’m referring to the CIA and LBJ...The precursor to Apac was involved in this. Everybody knows what happened in this country. Okay. It’s so silly to call this a conspiracy theory anymore," Owens explained.

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Candace Owens draws parallels between Diddy and Epstein in their alleged involvement with the “deep state”

From L to R: Sean Diddy Combs and Jeffrey Epstein (Image via Getty Images)

During the aforementioned podcast episode, Candace Owens explained how Sean Diddy Combs’ and Jeffrey Epstein’s "sophisticated blackmail operations," allegedly run by "the deep state," were "alike."

Owens asserted that, to "maintain control over the population" the "deep state" had to be able to "influence opinions."

She elaborated that influence, particularly through media and popular culture, was essential to controlling public perception and behavior.

"There’s more of us than there are of them, right? So they need to make sure that we don’t get wise to what they’ve been up to," Owens remarked.

According to the podcaster, celebrities and athletes were especially valuable to this agenda due to their cultural reach. Additionally, politicians served the purpose of enacting policy.

By controlling both, the "deep state" allegedly secured influence over both the minds and laws of the public.

"Influence is the name of the game. That is the reason that they want to control celebrities. This is where Diddy comes into play," Owens added.

Candace Owens then described how the "deep state" allegedly ran its operations via Sean Combs.

According to her, Combs hosted exclusive, high-profile parties that attracted Hollywood’s elite.

These gatherings, she claimed, were wired with cameras and laden with drugs, setting the stage for potential blackmail by placing influential figures in compromising positions.

"It’s exactly what Epstein was doing. Majority of the time, he was doing this to the politicians and people that were in business. So, he's running it that way," she added.

According to Owens, both Combs and Epstein played strategic roles, Epstein in the political sphere and Diddy in the entertainment world. They were both part of a larger effort to maintain systemic control through calculated influence.

During the episode, Owens also explained why she "never covered the Diddy trial” on her podcast.

She said it was precisely because of Diddy’s alleged involvement with the deep state. She added that she knew the trial wasn’t worth covering because it was "just so obviously a show trial."

"I knew it was a show trial because what Diddy was doing (was) a Fed operation. And the Fed, for whatever reason, whenever they investigate themselves, they find out they’re not guilty of anything. There were so many signs leading up to this moment that it was the state putting on a show trial," Owens added.

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Sean “Diddy” Combs is scheduled to be sentenced in October 2025. As the legal proceedings continue, his legal team has taken steps to secure his release while he awaits sentencing.

According to Global News, Combs’ lawyers filed a formal request on Tuesday, July 29, asking the judge to grant his release on a $50-million bond in connection with his federal s*x crimes case.

On the other hand, Jeffrey Epstein died on August 10, 2019, while in federal custody, before he could be convicted.

Nearly six years later, speculation continued to swirl over what information might be contained in transcripts and other documents related to the investigations into his activities.

Edited by Prem Deshpande