Honestly, the internet can be a wild place when a celebrity scandal breaks. You've probably seen the headlines or caught a snippet on TikTok about a "secret memoir" left behind by the late Kim Porter. It sounds like something straight out of a movie. A lost flash drive, cryptic diary entries, and a tell-all book that allegedly exposes the darkest corners of her life with Sean "Diddy" Combs.
But then there’s Chris Todd.
If you aren't familiar with the name, he’s the guy who claims to have "pieced together" this story. The book, titled Kim’s Lost Words, shot to the top of Amazon’s bestseller list almost overnight. It capitalized on a moment when the world was already looking for answers about the hip-hop mogul's legal troubles. But as quickly as it rose, it crashed under the weight of massive public pushback, legal threats, and a heartbroken family saying it was all a lie.
Who is Chris Todd and Where Did This Book Come From?
Chris Todd—whose real name is Todd Christopher Guzze—is an independent publisher and "investigative producer." That’s how he describes himself, anyway. He published the book under the pseudonym Jamal T. Millwood. If that name rings a bell for the conspiracy theorists out there, it’s because some folks online have long claimed it’s an alias used by Tupac Shakur. Todd says his "sources" specifically asked him to use that name.
That was the first red flag for most people.
The story Todd tells is that a group of people close to Kim and Sean Combs approached him. He claims they handed him a flash drive, tapes, and documents that allegedly belonged to Porter before her passing in 2018. According to Todd, he spent months trying to turn these raw notes into a cohesive narrative.
The result? A 58-page "memoir" riddled with typos and graphic, sensational allegations.
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It wasn't long before the legitimacy of these "lost words" was called into question. When Rolling Stone and the Associated Press started digging, Todd’s own defense was... shaky. He famously told Rolling Stone, "If somebody put my feet to the fire and they said, 'Life or death, is that book real?' I have to say I don’t know. But it’s real enough to me."
That’s a pretty big "maybe" for a book sold as a factual journey for justice.
The Family’s Response: A Unified Front
You have to feel for Kim Porter's children. Losing a mother is hard enough without seeing her name used to sell a book they claim is a total fabrication. Quincy Brown, Christian Combs, and twins Jessie and D’Lila didn't hold back. They released a joint statement on Instagram that was crystal clear: their mother never wrote a memoir.
"Claims that our mom wrote a book are simply untrue. She did not, and anyone claiming to have a manuscript is misrepresenting themselves."
They were also quick to shut down the book’s suggestion that there was foul play in her death. Porter died of lobar pneumonia in 2018, a fact confirmed by the coroner and her family. To them, the book wasn't just "fake"—it was a "shameless attempt to profit from tragedy."
Al B. Sure!, the father of Kim’s eldest son Quincy, went a step further. He issued cease-and-desist letters to Amazon and Todd, calling the sexual claims in the book "disgusting, heinous lies." He wanted the book gone, and he wanted an apology.
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Why Amazon Pulled the Plug
By early October 2024, the pressure became too much. Amazon officially removed Kim's Lost Words from its store. Usually, the platform is pretty hands-off with self-published content, but when a family collectively denounces a work as a hoax and legal threats start flying, they move fast.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed they were made aware of a "dispute regarding the title."
Basically, the book didn't meet the standards for authenticity. Without any verifiable proof—like signed diaries or actual audio of Kim speaking the words in the book—it remained a collection of rumors. Skeptics pointed out that many of the stories in the book sounded suspiciously like the gossip that had been circulating on internet forums for years. It felt less like a diary and more like a "greatest hits" of celebrity blind items.
The Chris Todd Defense: 80% True?
Todd didn't just disappear when the book was pulled. In fact, he doubled down in several interviews. He’s often spoken about himself in the third person, asking, "Do you think Chris Todd would risk his ass and rep on something that was fake??"
His main argument is that as an investigator, he feels "80% of it is true."
But in the world of non-fiction and memoirs, 20% "not true" is a massive problem. If you’re claiming to speak for a deceased person, you better have your receipts. Todd has yet to produce the physical flash drive or the original tapes to any reputable news outlet for verification.
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What This Controversy Teaches Us About Media
The Chris Todd Kim Porter saga is a perfect example of how "information" moves in the digital age.
- It shows how easily a self-published book can bypass traditional gatekeepers.
- It highlights how a "No. 1 Bestseller" tag doesn't always mean a book is factual.
- It proves that celebrity "tell-alls" are high-risk, high-reward gambles for indie authors.
When you look at the timeline, the book was released just days before the unsealing of federal indictments against Diddy. The timing was perfect for the algorithm. People were hungry for context, and this book provided a scandalous (if unverifiable) version of it.
How to Spot a "Fake" Memoir
If you’re ever unsure about a celebrity book, look for these signs:
- The Publisher: Is it a major house (like Penguin Random House) or an independent imprint you’ve never heard of?
- Family Support: Is the estate or the family promoting the book? If they’re suing, that’s a bad sign.
- Verification: Does the author provide photos of the original manuscripts or recordings?
- Tone: Does it sound like the person, or does it sound like an internet comment section?
Moving Forward: Protecting a Legacy
At the end of the day, Kim Porter’s legacy is defined by her career as a model, an actress, and—most importantly to those who knew her—a mother. Her children have asked for peace and for the world to stop making a "spectacle" of their mother's passing.
While Chris Todd continues to defend his work, the lack of evidence has largely relegated the book to the "hoax" category for most serious researchers and fans.
Actionable Next Steps for Readers
If you want to stay informed about the ongoing legal situations involving the Combs family or the veracity of celebrity memoirs:
- Stick to Verified Sources: Look for reporting from the Associated Press, The New York Times, or Rolling Stone, which have professional fact-checking teams.
- Respect the Estate: Understand that when someone passes away, their children or appointed executors are the legal "voice" for their story.
- Verify Before You Buy: Before purchasing a "tell-all," check if it has been officially authorized by the subject's estate to avoid funding potential misinformation.
The "lost words" of Kim Porter might remain a mystery to the public, but for those who actually knew her, the truth isn't found in a 58-page paperback—it's in the life she actually lived.