Sean “Diddy” Combs has been arrested in Manhattan after a grand jury indicted the music mogul, Variety has confirmed.
Attorney’s Statement
Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo shared a statement with Variety regarding the rapper’s arrest in New York on Monday evening. The charges were not immediately clear.
Defense Statement
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” the statement reads. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
Prosecution Statement
Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, also released a statement on Monday. “Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY,” he said. “We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.”
Legal Troubles
Combs’ arrest comes amid an ongoing federal investigation and a wave of lawsuits, most of which accuse him of sexual assault. Recently, former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard filed a suit against Combs on Sept. 10, alleging verbal abuse, assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Apology and Allegations
In May, CNN posted a 2016 video of Combs attacking his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura. The footage matches allegations made in a lawsuit filed by Ventura in November last year, which outlines an incident that occurred at the now-shuttered InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles. (The two parties reached a settlement one day after the suit was filed on Nov. 16, 2023, in New York.)
Multiple Lawsuits
Multiple women have filed lawsuits against Combs since Ventura’s last November. That month, Combs was hit with a second lawsuit by Joi Dickerson-Neal, who alleged that Combs “drugged, sexually assaulted and abused” her and that she was the victim of “revenge porn” created and distributed by the rapper. Then in December, a lawsuit filed by a Jane Doe alleged that Combs and R&B singer Aaron Hall took turns raping her and her friends at Hall’s apartment sometime between 1990 and 1991. Combs has denied the allegations made in these various lawsuits.
Property Raids
In March, properties owned by Combs located in Miami and Los Angeles were raided by Homeland Security as part of a sex trafficking investigation, with HSI confirming their search and seizure via a statement: “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”
Attorney’s Response
Combs’ attorney Aaron Dyer issued a statement regarding the searches, calling them an “unprecedented ambush” and a “witch hunt.”
FAQs
Q: What are the charges against Sean “Diddy” Combs?
A: The charges against Sean Combs have not been immediately clear, as stated by his attorney and the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Q: How has Sean Combs responded to the allegations?
A: Sean Combs has denied the allegations made against him and has expressed his commitment to clearing his name.
Q: What legal actions have been taken against Sean Combs?
A: Sean Combs has faced multiple lawsuits, raids on his properties, and ongoing federal investigations related to allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct.
Credit: variety.com
