Music mogul and rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in federal custody on Monday night in Manhattan. The arrest, which had originally been slated for Tuesday, 17th September, was moved up by a grand jury indictment.
Combs has faced multiple charges related to sex trafficking and sexual assault allegations in various lawsuits. Law enforcement agencies had raided the rapper’s Miami and Beverly Hills homes over the past month as investigators looked into criminal activity.
TMZ reports that Diddy was staying at a midtown Manhattan hotel where he was arrested. The arrest came late Monday night by Homeland Security agents. After his arrest, Diddy was brought to the FBI field office.
Diddy was arrested after a grand jury indicted him. The indictment is sealed, and charges have not been disclosed. But despite that, the source claimed to the media outlet that he’d been taken into custody with charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. Police had him on their radar ever since his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, filed a sexual trafficking and years of abuse lawsuit against him.
In 2023, R&B singer Casandra Ventura sued Combs for sexual assault and physical assault during their 10-year professional and romantic relationship. However, Combs denied these allegations, and in November 2023, she settled them for an undisclosed amount.
In her civil complaint, Ventura sought more than $30 million in damages against Combs. The next day, she settled the suit for an undisclosed amount, with Ventura telling CNN she “decided to settle this matter amicably”.
Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs has faced multiple sexual assault accusations in recent years. Last week, singer Dawn Richard sued Combs in the Southern District of New York court for sexual assault, abuse and fraud. Combs has publicly denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, in the same month, Combs was ordered to pay a $100M fine in another sexual assault lawsuit brought on by Derrick Lee Smith. Smith accused Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting him at a party, which dates back 30 years. An attorney for Combs has said they will appeal the ruling.
Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ attorney, issued a statement expressing disappointment with the prosecution. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist,” Agnifilo said. “He is an imperfect person but is not criminal.”
Still, Agnifilo argued that Combs moved to New York on his own before knowing what he would be charged with. He also denied that Combs had done anything wrong and said Combs would fight the charges in court.
Agnifilo’s comments were directed to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who has yet to comment anything. At least the eighth sexual abuse-related civil lawsuit against Combs over the past year. At the same time, the rapper also has a federal criminal case pending, and his homes in Florida were raided in March 2024.
