Hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been taken into custody in New York City on undisclosed federal charges. This arrest in Manhattan comes after authorities conducted raids on two of his properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March as part of an ongoing investigation into sex trafficking.
The musician has been confronted with a range of allegations, from sexual assault to abuse, including accusations from his ex-partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, all of which he has denied. His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, expressed disappointment with the arrest and asserted that his client was innocent.
Multiple law enforcement sources confirm that the arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation by US Homeland Security officials.
US Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) Damian Williams announced the arrest in a statement on Monday, saying federal agents apprehended Sean Combs based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY, with plans to unseal the indictment on Tuesday.
Combs is facing several civil lawsuits, including claims of raping an underage girl and attempting to coerce a producer into having sexual relations with another man. His attorney stated on Monday night that Combs is eager to prove his innocence in court and expressed disappointment with what they believe is an unjust prosecution.
The rapper’s legal troubles began in November 2023 when Ms. Ventura filed her lawsuit. Two other women also filed lawsuits that same week alleging abuse and assault, with one claiming that Combs had choked her until she lost consciousness. Combs denied all the allegations at the time, and a spokesperson for the rapper dismissed the lawsuits as a “money grab.”
Subsequently, in December, another civil lawsuit emerged, alleging that a woman had been “sex trafficked” by Combs and two other men when she was 17 years old.
Combs denied these allegations, but his properties were raided a month later, as he was stopped at an airport in Miami and surrendered electronics to authorities.
In May, CCTV footage released by CNN seemed to depict the rap mogul physically assaulting and beating Ms Ventura, an incident detailed in her civil suit.