Sugarman believes divine intervention brought them together.
Hay was raised in Louisville, Kentucky, in the Christian faith. During his childhood, his pastor grandfather and his uncle established a church in America. Sugarman, meanwhile, was born in New York City to a Lubavitch family; his great-grandfather is buried one headstone behind the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
David Sugarman (Getty)[Missing Credit]
“We come from two completely different walks of life,” says Sugarman.
“I’m a New York City Jew – that stereotypical Ashkenazi Conservative guy that went to camp for two months, Hebrew school Monday and Wednesday, Shabbat services Friday and Saturday.”
Helping Hay through his ordeal was simply a way of putting into practice his parents’ teaching to treat other people as he would like to be treated.
“When I learnt about Jonathan’s situation, I realised he needed help. John needed someone he can talk to. He opened up, and I think a lot of the internal pain that he had been carrying around, he didn’t have the ability to share with anybody.
“He’s listened to me every step of the way, and I believe that God has a path forward for him. God put us together here. It’s important to help him, because he deserves love, he deserves the opportunity to be heard, and it just feels right.”
Sugarman jokes that when Hay receives justice, he will get him to wrap tefillin every morning.
David Sugarman with Rabbi Pinto (Image: Getty)[Missing Credit]
“We Jews are a loving family.
“We welcome people into our homes and that is what we did with Jonathan. We’re going to give him brisket and chicken soup, and he’s going to be part of the family, and we’re going to make sure he’s happy and healthy.
“We do take care of our own people, but we take care of everyone.”
Hay, who was adopted, says that until this point “nothing has really felt like my own”. Now, he feels everything has changed. “I have a home and a community and an infrastructure that I’ve never had before in my life,” he says. “That’s what David has brought, so David is a brother to me.”
The trial date for the civil case has now been confirmed for March 20, 2028.
The criminal case is currently under review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, led by District Attorney Nathan Hochman, and follows Combs’s sentencing last year by a federal district court on charges related to transporting women for prostitution.
Hip-Hop artist Sean 'Puffy' Combs performing on 'MTV 2 Large' on New Year's Eve in MTV's Times Square studios, 12/31/99. (Photo by Scott Gries/ImageDirect)Getty Images
“The way David has embraced me with his contacts and his resources to get me to this point has been amazing,” says Hay, who previously promoted Rihanna and Whitney Houston.
“I tried for a while to get justice. This has been an uphill battle since the attack happened. I went through severe depression. We ask for prayers for justice to prevail.”
When Hay confided in Sugarman about the alleged incidents in Los Angeles in 2020 and 2021, the entrepreneur, sports agent and strategist stepped in to help, recommending both a lawyer from the community and a therapist.
“David has been there every step of the way with his community. He’s been my only friend throughout this, because I’ve lost trust in so many people. It’s been a very lonely journey.”
While in the wake of his alleged ordeal Hay had too much on his mind to listen to music, he now intends to set multiple Guinness World Records in music to celebrate his official return to the industry.
Combs’ representative told the JC: “Sean unequivocally denies Jonathan Hay’s allegations.
“They are false, and there is nothing further to add.”
In a statement previously provided to CNN, Jonathan Davis, the lawyer representing Combs, said: “As Mr Combs’s legal team has repeatedly stated for over a year now, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a media circus.”
