The intensifying sex-trafficking probe into Sean “Diddy” Combs has thrown a fresh spotlight on the rapper’s longtime friendship with Ashton Kutcher.
Kutcher, 46, and Diddy, 54, have hosted shows on MTV and have spoken highly of each other during their decades-old friendship.
The pair were both on “The Late Late Show James Corden” in 2018 and gushed over how they met each other and became friends.
“I was doing ‘Making the Band’ on MTV, he was doing ‘Punk’d’ and I gave him a call one day and said ‘I heard that you are going to punk me and I just don’t think that’s a good idea,’” Diddy recalled to Corden.
Kutcher, with a smile, interjected, “I’m pretty sure that’s not the way you said it, I don’t think that’s a good idea, is that what you said?” as the two laughed.
“I think it was some version of ‘if you do that, that will not end well for you, but I think we should work out a deal,’” Kutcher recalled.
Kutcher has not publicly weighed in on the probe into Combs since the feds raided two of the rap mogul’s homes last week.
But a source reportedly claimed Monday that Kutcher and Kunis would stay quiet on Combs’ legal troubles following the blowup over the Masterson letters.
“There is no way in hell Ashton or Mila will be showing any sort of public support for Diddy right now,” the unnamed source told to the Daily Mail.
“Regardless of Ashton’s long history with him, he has distanced himself from Diddy since Cassie’s lawsuit, and even more so in the wake of the new ones.”
Reps for Kutcher and Kunis, 40, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Diddy’s sex probe comes just months after Kutcher and wife Mila Kunis faced an onslaught of backlash for publicly voicing their support for convicted rapist and former colleague Danny Masterson ahead of his sentencing hearing.
Kutcher, Kunis, and Masterson all starred as teenage pals on “That ‘70s Show” and Kutcher later explained he had been trying to defend the friend he once knew during their time working together.
Kutcher and Kunis both faced immense heat after the letters they wrote in support of Masterson became public.
“While I’m aware that the judgment has been cast as guilty on two counts of rape by force and the victims have a great desire for justice, I hope that my testament to his character is taken into consideration in sentencing,” Kutcher stated in a letter that became public in September.
The letter was not well received and Kutcher days later said the show of support was an “error in judgment.”
“Victims of sexual abuse have been historically silenced and the character statement I submitted is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences,” Kutcher said a later statement.
Federal authorities searched Diddy’s Los Angeles and Miami properties last week as part of a sex-trafficking investigation.
Some of the most explosive allegations against Combs come from a February lawsuit producer Lil Rod, whose real name is Rodney Jones, filed against Combs, alleging a pattern of sexual assaults and sex trafficking he claims are recorded on hidden cameras throughout the mogul’s homes.
Diddy’s ex-girlfriend R&B singer Cassie also sued him in November, alleging that he raped her. A settlement was reached a day later and the terms were not disclosed.
The rap producer was also accused of raping another woman two decades ago when she was 17.
Diddy’s lawyers have argued the searches were “gross overuse of military-level force,” while making clear the rap star denied all wrongdoing.
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” attorney Aaron Dyer said in a statement.
“Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”