Ciroc vodka belongs entirely to Diageo, not Sean “Diddy” Combs. That’s the reality in 2025, despite what many people assume about the luxury vodka brand. Diddy never actually owned Ciroc, even though he’s been the face of it since 2007. After a legal settlement concluded between Diageo and Diddy, the British spirits company now holds complete ownership of both Ciroc vodka and DeLeón tequila.
Here’s what actually happened. Diddy’s connection to Ciroc was always a marketing partnership, not ownership. The hip-hop mogul served as the brand’s promoter and public face, helping drive significant growth in exposure and sales. But that partnership ended when Diddy gave up his 50-percent stake in DeLeón and stepped away from promoting Ciroc as part of the settlement.
The legal battle wasn’t simple. Diddy accused Diageo of racial discrimination, claiming the company treated his brands as inferior and restricted their distribution to urban neighborhoods. This happened despite Diageo investing over $100 million into developing DeLeón tequila alone.
You’ll learn the complete story behind Ciroc’s ownership in this article. We’ll show you how Diddy helped build the brand without ever having equity in it, and what the end of this partnership means for one of the world’s most recognized vodka brands.
Who owns Ciroc in 2025?
Diageo exclusively owns the Ciroc vodka brand as of 2025. This ownership structure reflects major changes in the brand’s business relationships over the past year and a half.
Diageo as the sole owner of Ciroc
Diageo became Ciroc’s sole owner in January 2024 following a settlement that resolved legal disputes with Sean “Diddy” Combs. This settlement marked a turning point for the luxury vodka brand, ending a 15-year business relationship that had been central to Ciroc’s market position.
But Diageo’s ownership continues to evolve. The company entered into a strategic joint venture with Main Street Advisors in April 2025, exchanging majority ownership of Ciroc’s brand rights in North America while keeping full ownership rights for Ciroc outside the United States. Under this arrangement, Ciroc’s North American performance will no longer appear in Diageo’s consolidated financial results.
End of Sean Combs’ involvement
Combs’ relationship with Ciroc ended after a contentious legal battle. He filed a lawsuit against Diageo in New York Supreme Court in May 2023, alleging that the company had neglected the spirits brands under their joint control. The lawsuit claimed Diageo hadn’t provided Ciroc with the same marketing and promotional support given to other brands in its portfolio.
Combs also accused Diageo of racial bias. He stated that company leadership told him race was one of the reasons distribution was limited to “urban” neighborhoods. The parties eventually reached a settlement where “Mr. Combs has withdrawn all of his allegations about Diageo and will voluntarily dismiss his lawsuits against Diageo with prejudice”.
Clarifying common misconceptions
Many people assume Sean “Diddy” Combs owned Ciroc vodka. Combs never held an ownership stake in Ciroc. His relationship with the brand was based on a marketing partnership established in 2007. Under this arrangement, Combs and Diageo shared profits from the brand in what was described as an “equal-share venture”.
The master distiller Jean-Sébastien Robicquet is considered the true creator of Ciroc, with his family having made wines and spirits for over 400 years. Diddy himself acknowledged not having equity in Ciroc, stating, “Everybody has a journey and that’s just really how corporate America works”.
How Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs helped build the Ciroc brand
Sean “Diddy” Combs turned Ciroc vodka from a struggling brand into a cultural phenomenon through a marketing partnership that started in 2007. He never owned Ciroc, but his influence proved essential in building the luxury vodka brand.
The 2007 marketing partnership
Diddy entered a 50/50 profit-sharing joint venture with Diageo in October 2007, taking responsibility for Ciroc vodka in the United States. This wasn’t your typical celebrity endorsement deal. Diddy wanted a more substantial role.
“I’m not just a celebrity endorser, I’m a luxury brand builder,” he stated emphatically.
The arrangement, potentially worth over $100 million, placed him as both brand manager and chief marketing officer. The partnership focused on “the art of celebration,” a concept that aligned perfectly with Diddy’s public persona.
Ciroc’s rise in popularity under Diddy
Before Diddy’s involvement, Ciroc struggled significantly. The brand sold merely 40,000 cases annually—just 3% of Gray Goose’s numbers. Diddy’s marketing approach completely reimagined what the brand could be.
“Everything that Ciroc does, I’m involved in, from the bottle design to picking the flavors to the final taste and all the creatives,” he explained.
This hands-on approach delivered remarkable results. By 2014, Ciroc was selling over 2 million cases annually, representing a staggering 600% sales increase between 2008-2013. Diddy skillfully used his influence in nightclubs, understanding of modern culture, and gift for promotion to turn Ciroc into one of the hottest brands in spirits.
Why Diddy never had equity in Ciroc
Diddy earned approximately $50 million yearly from his vodka deal, but he never secured equity in Ciroc itself. At Invest Fest 2023, he addressed this reality directly.
“First of all, corporate America is made and built for white men. So when you are going into corporate America, usually your entryway is to help them with they diversity problem,” he said.
He also noted, “Everybody has a journey and that’s just really how corporate America works. You gotta pay your dues to get in”.
Diddy sought equity elsewhere, eventually securing 50% ownership in DeLeón tequila through a 2013 venture with Diageo.
The legal battle: What led to the fallout
The partnership between Diageo and Sean “Diddy” Combs collapsed in May 2023 when Combs filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination against the spirits giant. This legal battle ultimately ended their 15-year business relationship and secured Diageo’s complete control of Ciroc.
Allegations of racial bias and neglect
Combs’ lawsuit claimed Diageo “kneecapped” his Ciroc and DeLeón brands by neglecting them for nearly a decade. He alleged the company typecasted these products as “Black brands” or “ethnic brands” that should only target “urban” consumers.
According to court filings, Diageo leadership explicitly told Combs that race was among the reasons for limiting distribution to urban neighborhoods. The numbers backed up his claims. DeLeón was distributed in just 3% of all possible US outlets, compared with 34%, 36% and 14% respectively for Diageo’s Casamigos, Don Julio and 21 Seeds brands.
Diageo’s counterclaims and defense
Diageo denied all allegations of racism, describing the situation as “a business dispute” rather than discrimination. The company fought back hard, calling the lawsuit a “bad faith, sham action” filed by someone who had “amassed nearly one billion dollars” from their partnership but wanted to “extract” billions more.
Diageo claimed it had invested over $100 million in DeLeón while Combs contributed only $1,000. The company also alleged Combs breached his contract when making public accusations and moved to terminate their relationship.
Timeline of the lawsuit and public reactions
The lawsuit, first filed in May 2023, gained momentum in September when a judge rejected Diageo’s motion to dismiss, allowing the case to proceed in state court. Diageo appealed this ruling.
The dispute took another turn when allegations of sexual assault against Combs emerged in November 2023. Diageo filed court documents stating these accusations risked inflicting “devastating and permanent damage” to the DeLeón brand.
Both parties announced a settlement in January 2024. Combs withdrew all allegations and voluntarily dismissed his lawsuits with prejudice, officially ending any business relationship between them.
The settlement and what it means for both parties
January 2024 changed everything for Ciroc vodka.
A major settlement officially ended the legal battle between Diageo and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, closing a partnership that had lasted more than 15 years and been worth nearly a billion dollars to Combs over that period.
Terms of the agreement (as known)
The settlement terms were straightforward in some ways, complicated in others. Combs withdrew all allegations against Diageo and voluntarily dismissed his lawsuits with prejudice. That legal language means the cases can’t be refiled in the future.
Diageo became the sole owner of both Ciroc vodka and DeLeón tequila. Financial details stayed mostly confidential, but business reporting indicates Combs received approximately $200 million for his stake in DeLeón tequila—nothing for his promotional work with Ciroc. During the dispute, Diageo maintained it had invested over $100 million in DeLeón while claiming Combs contributed only $1,000.
Impact on Diddy’s business image
The settlement hit Combs financially. His long-standing cash flow from Ciroc ended abruptly, representing a significant setback for his business empire.
Industry analysts weren’t surprised. Most celebrity partnerships eventually lead to “diminishing returns,” and the scandals were simply “the proverbial cherry in an already toxic cocktail that was increasingly past its sell-by date”.
The timing made things worse—Diageo had previously argued in court that the sexual assault allegations against Combs made it “impossible for him to continue to be the ‘face’ of anything”.
Diageo’s future plans for Ciroc
Following the settlement, Diageo started exploring a potential sale of Ciroc vodka. This makes sense when you look at the numbers—Ciroc’s net sales fell 28% in North America for the fiscal year ending June 2023.
The company made its move in April 2025. Diageo formed a strategic joint venture with Main Street Advisors, exchanging majority ownership of Ciroc’s brand rights in North America for a majority interest in Lobos 1707 tequila. Under this arrangement, Ciroc in North America will no longer be consolidated in Diageo’s financial results but will be classified as “income from JV and associates” going forward.
This restructuring signals Diageo’s shift in strategy—moving away from the Diddy-era approach toward new partnerships and markets.
Where Ciroc stands now
Diageo owns Ciroc vodka outright in 2025. That’s the simple answer to a surprisingly complex story.
Diddy never held equity in the luxury vodka brand, despite being its most recognizable face for over 15 years. His role was always promotional—a marketing partnership that transformed an underperforming product into a cultural phenomenon before ending in legal disputes and mutual separation.
The settlement changed everything. Diddy walked away from both Ciroc and his DeLeón tequila stake, while Diageo secured complete control of both brands. But ownership structures keep evolving. Diageo’s recent joint venture with Main Street Advisors shows how brands adapt their business models, especially when facing declining performance in key markets.
Ciroc’s journey reveals important patterns about celebrity partnerships in the spirits industry. These relationships can drive remarkable growth—Ciroc’s sales jumped from 40,000 to over 2 million cases annually under Diddy’s influence. But they also create dependencies that become challenging when partnerships sour or when external factors, like legal troubles, threaten brand reputation.
The brand now operates without its most famous advocate, managed through new corporate structures designed to optimize performance across different markets. For Diageo, this represents both an opportunity to reshape Ciroc’s positioning and a test of whether the brand can maintain its luxury status without celebrity backing.
Celebrity partnerships will continue shaping the spirits industry, but Ciroc’s story offers lessons about the importance of clear ownership structures, the risks of over-dependence on individual personalities, and how business relationships evolve when strategic interests diverge.
FAQs
Q1. Who currently owns Ciroc vodka?
Diageo is the sole owner of Ciroc vodka as of 2025. The company recently entered into a strategic joint venture with Main Street Advisors, exchanging majority ownership of Ciroc’s brand rights in North America while retaining full ownership rights outside the United States.
Q2. What was Sean “Diddy” Combs’ role in Ciroc’s success?
Diddy played a crucial role in Ciroc’s success through a marketing partnership that began in 2007. As brand manager and chief marketing officer, he transformed Ciroc from an underperforming brand to a cultural phenomenon, increasing sales from 40,000 cases annually to over 2 million cases by 2014.
Q3. Why did the partnership between Diageo and Sean “Diddy” Combs end?
The partnership ended due to a legal battle initiated by Combs in May 2023. He filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and neglect of his brands by Diageo. The dispute was settled in January 2024, with Combs withdrawing all allegations and ending his business relationship with Diageo.
Q4. How much did Sean “Diddy” Combs earn from his partnership with Ciroc?
While exact figures are not public, it’s estimated that Combs earned approximately $50 million yearly from his vodka deal with Diageo. Over the 15-year partnership, reports suggest he amassed nearly one billion dollars from the arrangement.
Q5. What are Diageo’s future plans for Ciroc?
Following the settlement with Combs, Diageo has formed a strategic joint venture with Main Street Advisors. This arrangement involves exchanging majority ownership of Ciroc’s brand rights in North America for a majority interest in Lobos 1707 tequila. As a result, Ciroc’s North American performance will no longer be consolidated in Diageo’s financial results.