Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio have successfully secured court-ordered sanctions against an attorney who filed what a federal judge deemed a baseless lawsuit accusing them of involvement in a bizarre alleged sex-trafficking scheme tied to Diddy.
U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks ruled that attorney Travis Walker must pay $7,500 for filing an amended complaint that included “objectively frivolous” claims without proper investigation.
The lawsuit, filed by Palm Beach resident Manzaro Joseph, alleged he was drugged and abducted in 2015, then transported through a non-existent underground tunnel from the Estefans’ former Star Island property to Diddy’s nearby home, where he claimed multiple celebrities assaulted him.
The court found the allegations “beyond implausible,” citing geographical impossibilities and public records that directly contradicted the timeline and presence of the accused.
Estefan’s legal team had warned Walker in advance. Letters sent on April 2 and April 28, 2025, outlined glaring inconsistencies in Joseph’s story, including the claim of a tunnel between the homes.
Engineers confirmed that Star Island’s man-made foundation and high water table make such a structure physically impossible. The letters also noted that LeBron James, another named defendant, was playing NBA games in Cleveland during the alleged events.
Despite those warnings, Walker filed an amended complaint on April 11. The judge dismissed it on July 24, calling it a “shotgun pleading” that lacked clarity and structure.
The next day, Estefan’s attorneys filed a motion for sanctions.
Judge Middlebrooks agreed that Walker failed to meet the legal standard for pre-filing investigation. The court said Walker relied heavily on Joseph’s account without verifying key facts.
He submitted vague surveillance stills, a redacted police report with incorrect dates and an affidavit from Guillermo Farinas—a suspended attorney previously sanctioned for filing meritless lawsuits with the same plaintiff.
Walker argued he had reviewed medical records, police documents and spoken to witnesses. But the court found these efforts insufficient, especially given the high-profile nature of the defendants and the extreme nature of the accusations.
The judge wrote that “a reasonable attorney would have done more investigation.”
The court declined to sanction Joseph, citing possible mental health concerns and emphasizing that the responsibility rested with his attorney.
The Estefans, who sold their Star Island home to Diddy in 2021, have denied any involvement in the alleged events.
Gloria Estefan previously dismissed the tunnel claim as “fantasy,” and Emilio Estefan has publicly vowed to pursue legal action against Joseph and his legal team.
“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.”
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