Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested late Monday in New York after a federal grand jury indicted him. While the indictment remains sealed and specific charges are not yet public, U.S. attorney Damian Williams confirmed that Combs is in federal custody.
Williams added that the indictment would likely be unsealed the following morning, with further details to be provided at that time.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was taken into custody at a Manhattan hotel, according to a source familiar with the arrest who spoke anonymously, as they were not authorized to comment publicly.
His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, stated that Combs had been cooperating with the investigation, even relocating to New York in anticipation of the charges.
Agnifilo criticised the prosecution, calling it an unfair pursuit of a music icon and family man.
“He is not perfect, but he is no criminal,” Agnifilo noted, urging the public to withhold judgment until all the facts emerge and expressing confidence that Combs would clear his name in court.
These criminal charges, though significant, were anticipated given Combs’ stature in the hip-hop industry.
Federal agents had earlier searched his homes in Los Angeles and Miami in March as part of the investigation.
His other attorney, Aaron Dyer, had condemned the raids, calling them an “overreach” and dismissing the accusations as “baseless.”
Allegations of Abuse, Trafficking
Combs, once known as Puff Daddy, played a central role in the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry of the 1990s alongside the Notorious B.I.G., who was tragically killed in 1997.
Over time, Combs’ public persona evolved, becoming that of a refined host in Hollywood and the Hamptons, a successful entrepreneur, and a devoted father, especially after his children’s mother passed away in 2018.
However, a darker image of Combs began to surface in November when his former protégé and ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, became the first of several individuals to file lawsuits against him for sexual abuse.
Her claims detailed encounters involving sex workers in drug-fueled environments, with some individuals allegedly coerced into sexual acts.
In her lawsuit, Cassie accused Combs of years of abuse, including physical violence and rape. She also alleged that he engaged in sex trafficking, forcing her into sexual acts across various locations and facilitating the trafficking of male sex workers, which he would film as she was coerced into participating.
The lawsuit was resolved swiftly, but its impact extended well beyond that moment. Combs lost key supporters and those withholding judgment when CNN aired footage in May showing him physically assaulting Cassie in a hotel hallway.
The following day, Combs publicly apologized in a video, admitting to the act and expressing regret, stating, “I was disgusted when I did it” and “I’m disgusted now.” Cassie’s lawsuit triggered at least six more suits in the following months.
In February, a music producer accused Combs of coercing him into soliciting prostitutes and pressuring him into sexual acts. Another woman accused Combs of raping her two decades earlier, when she was 17.
April Lampros, another accuser, alleged years of traumatic sexual encounters with Combs and others, beginning in 1994 while she was a college student.
Combs and his legal team have largely rejected the allegations in the lawsuits. While authorities have not confirmed that the lawsuits triggered the criminal probe, his lawyer, Aaron Dyer, dismissed the case as based on “meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits” when the search warrants were executed.
The media generally does not identify individuals who claim sexual abuse unless they publicly disclose their identities, as Cassie and Lampros have.
Through his role as the founder of Bad Boy Records, Combs emerged as a pivotal figure in hip-hop over the past thirty years. He collaborated with leading artists including the Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans, and 112.
He ventures outside of music, including his lucrative private-label spirits, media company, and Sean John Fashion line, suffered significant setbacks following the allegations.
The impact intensified when a video of him assaulting Cassie was leaked. Howard University severed its ties with him, and he returned his key to the city of New York at the mayor’s request.
Combs has faced prior legal issues, notably a high-profile trial from the 1999 Manhattan nightclub shooting that injured three. His then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, was present during the incident.
He was acquitted of charges related to bringing an illegal gun into the club and attempting to bribe his driver, while his protégé Shyne, now Moses Barrow, was convicted of assault and served about eight years in prison. Shyne is now a member of the House of Representatives in Belize.
In the same year, Combs was also arrested for assaulting a record executive in New York. He pled guilty to harassment and was sentenced to attend anger management classes.
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