Sean Combs, a prominent music executive embroiled in sexual assault lawsuits and under federal scrutiny, was arrested at a Manhattan hotel on Monday evening following a grand jury indictment.
His arrest occurred after authorities conducted raids on his properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March, linked to an “ongoing investigation” into sex trafficking.
Marc Agnifilo, Mr. Combs’s lawyer, expressed their disappointment with the arrest and maintained his client’s innocence.
The artist has been accused of various offenses from sexual assault to abuse, including allegations made by his former partner, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, which he has consistently denied.
The arrest is part of an active investigation by US homeland security officials, as reported by multiple law enforcement sources to CBS.
Damian Williams, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, confirmed the arrest with a statement on Monday night.
“Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY,” the prosecutor said.
He noted that the office intends to unveil the indictment on Tuesday morning and will provide further comments then.
Combs is entangled in several civil lawsuits, including charges of raping a minor and attempting to coerce a producer into having sexual relations with another man.
On Monday night, his attorney affirmed that Mr. Combs is determined to “clear his name in court.”
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution,” Mr Agnifilo said in a written statement.
“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.”
The rapper’s legal problems began in November 2023 when Ms Ventura filed her lawsuit. Two other women filed lawsuits that same week alleging abuse and assault.
He refuted all the allegations at that time, and his spokesperson dismissed the lawsuits as a “money grab.”
In December, another lawsuit surfaced, claiming a woman was “sex trafficked” by Mr. Combs and two other men when she was just 17 years old.
In February of this year, further allegations emerged in a lawsuit filed by his former producer, Rodney Jones Jr., who accused Mr. Combs of making unwanted sexual advances and attempting to “groom” him for sexual interactions with others.
Mr. Combs denied these new allegations; however, the following month, his properties were raided. Authorities intercepted him at a Miami airport as he was about to depart for the Bahamas, and he was required to hand over electronic devices.
These legal actions occurred just before the expiration of the New York Adult Survivors Act, which allowed individuals who claimed to have been sexually abused to file claims beyond the statute of limitations.
In May, CNN released CCTV footage that appeared to capture the rap mogul assaulting Ms. Ventura, an incident detailed in her civil lawsuit.
Mr. Combs, also known by various aliases including Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love, stands as one of the most successful moguls in the rap industry.
