Rapper and business mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in New York City on Monday, September 16, at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan. Homeland Security Investigations took him into custody at 8:15 p.m. following an indictment by a grand jury.
The indictment remains sealed, and the specific charges have not yet been disclosed. However, Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, has indicated that the charges may involve racketeering and sex trafficking.
Agnifilo issued a statement expressing disappointment over what he described as an “unjust prosecution” by the US Attorney’s Office. He also noted that Combs had traveled to New York the previous week in anticipation of the charges.
“He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal,” Agnifilo remarked.
The arrest follows a lengthy federal investigation, which became public when agents from Homeland Security raided Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami on March 25. The rapper’s legal troubles come amid a series of lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct, alongside an ongoing federal probe.
Last November, Combs’ former girlfriend and R&B singer, Cassie, was the first to file a lawsuit alleging years of abuse, including physical violence and rape. Her suit also claimed that Combs engaged in sex trafficking by forcing her into coerced sexual acts across various jurisdictions, as well as compelling her to assist in trafficking male sex workers. Cassie further accused him of filming these encounters.
Though the lawsuit was quickly settled, the claims led to further legal action against Combs. In the months following Cassie’s allegations, several other individuals have come forward, filing lawsuits that accuse the hip-hop star of sexual assault. One music producer has also alleged that Combs coerced him into soliciting prostitutes and pressured him into participating in sexual activities.
At 54, Combs is now one of the most prominent figures in the music industry to face criminal charges related to sexual misconduct, following in the wake of R. Kelly, who was sentenced to over 30 years in prison for child sex crimes, sex trafficking, and racketeering.
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