The rumor was the topic of a YouTube video that received more than 1.4 million views.

In November 2024, video clips surfaced on social media, including YouTube and TikTok, alleging that the FBI had revealed information that Oprah Winfrey fled the U.S. after incriminating footage involving indicted musician Sean “Diddy” Combs leaked. However, there was no evidence to corroborate the story and the assertion was unfounded.

The clips surfaced after Combs’ arrest for racketeering and sex trafficking charges, and after Winfrey endorsed Democratic U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris in her failed presidential bid.

The unfounded rumor appeared in a 22-minute video posted Nov. 14 by the YouTube channel Rap Heat with the caption, “5 MIN AGO: FBI Reveals Oprah Has Fled The Country After Diddy Footage Leaked,” and a thumbnail alleging, “Breaking News: ‘Oprah Has Fled!'”

Without naming a source for the alleged story, the video’s narrator said:

The headlines say it all: Oprah Winfrey, once America’s beloved talk show Queen, is now a fugitive. Ever since Diddy got slapped with those silver bracelets, Oprah’s been nowhere to be found. But don’t be fooled by the perfectly curated public image. The FBI thinks they’ve got plenty of reasons to be sniffing around and Oprah’s abrupt disappearing act has everyone asking why: Why can’t Oprah stay in the United States? And what did the FBI discover?

The YouTube channel claims to be “your source for everything hip-hop,” according to its bio. The video had been viewed more than 1.4 million times, as of this writing. Meanwhile, at least 10 TikTok videos with the same caption and same footage collectively have gained more than 108,000 views. Posts on social media sites including X also linked to such videos.

There was no evidence of the FBI releasing any such information. Furthermore, there was no indication that Winfrey fled the country for any reason, much less because of an alleged “leak” of footage connected to Combs. If there was even a sliver of truth to the claim — for instance, if some sort of incriminating video involving Winfrey and Combs had appeared — reputable entertainment media outlets would have interviewed the parties involved and documented the ordeal. That had not happened.

In short, the claim appeared to be made up from whole cloth for the purpose of gaining clicks or views online. A disclaimer on the YouTube channel description read:

The content on this channel is for entertainment purposes only. While we strive to present accurate and up-to-date information, some topics may include rumors, speculation, or exaggeration. All opinions expressed are our own. Viewer discretion is advised, and we encourage independent research before drawing any conclusions.

The claim about Winfrey and allegedly “leaked” footage might have seemed believable because of the real circumstances surrounding Combs’ arrest. For example, a February 2024 complaint by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones claimed Combs kept hidden cameras around his house to shoot compromising footage of wild parties he hosted, footage he would later use to blackmail guests. Also, Winfrey and Combs have attended the same events over the years and Winfrey has interviewed Combs on occasion.

By mixing true and misleading information, as well as using emotionally charged language, such videos about baseless celebrity rumors often generate hundreds or thousands of comments from YouTube users. Some of those messages indicate that people interpret the videos to be real news.

This was not the first misleading video related to Combs that captured social media users’ attention. For example, we previously debunked clips that falsely claimed the children of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, Willow and Jaden, revealed their parents had “sold them to Diddy.”