Sean “Diddy” Combs who has faced a parade of sexual assault lawsuits, was arrested following a grand jury indictment in Manhattan on Monday.
While the exact charges remain unclear, The New York Times reported that the indictment may be tied to a human trafficking investigation, as federal agents raided Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami earlier this year. A federal official mentioned that the raids were connected to an ongoing investigation into human trafficking.
Combs’ legal team issued a statement defending him, describing the music mogul as a “self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist” who has built a successful career over the past 30 years.
The statement acknowledged Combs’ imperfections but emphasized that he “is not a criminal.”
It also noted that Combs had cooperated fully with authorities and had “voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.”
In 2023, Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassandra Ventura, filed a lawsuit accusing him of years of physical and sexual abuse, allegations which were supported by a leaked video showing him physically assaulting her in a hotel hallway.
That lawsuit was settled, but it led to five additional civil suits from other women accusing Combs of sexual misconduct. Following these accusations, federal agents raided Combs’ properties in the spring, seizing devices and interviewing witnesses.
Combs has strongly denied the allegations, calling them “sickening” and claiming that the women who came forward after his settlement with Ventura were seeking “a quick payday.”
These new claims are not the first against Combs, who has faced various accusations over the years, including involvement in a gang rape, which his lawyers have vehemently denied, stating that such claims have “irreparably damaged” his reputation.
