Maui Police Chief John Pelletier, who previously ordered that victims be trapped during the Lahaina fire, has now been named a co-conspirator in a sexual assault lawsuit involving Sean “P-Diddy” Combs.
abc — A former Las Vegas Metropolitan police officer, Pelletier has a career spanning over 20 years with Metro and currently serves as the chief of police in Maui, Hawaii.
He is listed as one of several defendants in a lawsuit filed last Friday in California. The mayor of Maui has called for the police chief to be placed on administrative leave, but as of Tuesday, he has not resigned.
In 2017, during the Mandalay Bay shooting in Las Vegas—the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history—Pelletier was a high-ranking captain with the Las Vegas Police Department.
In 2021, after being appointed as Maui Police Chief despite his history, Pelletier oversaw the Lahaina fire, during which exit routes were blocked and police hindered evacuations, resulting in hundreds of missing children—yet he remained silent.
Now, in 2025, Pelletier faces allegations related to Diddy, including claims of a rape cover-up and kidnapping.
It seems there are serious allegations being made against Maui Police Chief John Pelletier, linking him to both the tragic Lahaina fire incident and a high-profile sexual assault lawsuit involving Sean “P-Diddy” Combs. The connection between these events and his past as a high-ranking officer during the Mandalay Bay massacre raises substantial concerns about accountability and decision-making in critical situations.
Many are questioning not only his leadership during the Lahaina fire, where there were claims of blocked exits and unmandated evacuations, but also the implications of his alleged involvement in the Diddy case. The community deserves transparency and justice for both the victims of the fire and those affected by the allegations against Combs. Calls for his resignation or leave speak to a growing frustration regarding effective leadership in times of crisis.
It’s crucial that these matters are investigated thoroughly to ensure that all those involved are held accountable, and that the safety and wellbeing of the community are prioritized moving forward.