Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been arrested amidst a series of serious allegations, according to his attorney’s statement to CNN.
Combs was taken into custody Monday night at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan by Homeland Security Investigations, following ongoing negotiations concerning his surrender. This arrest comes in the wake of multiple sexual assault lawsuits and a federal human trafficking investigation involving the producer over the past year.
The specific charges Combs faces remain undisclosed but are connected to an indictment expected to be unsealed Tuesday morning, as stated by Damian Williams, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York. Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, is tasked with probing transnational crimes including human trafficking and other serious offenses.
Combs has been in New York since last week, with his attorney reporting that he had been cooperating with the federal investigation leading to the indictment. Despite the charges, Combs’s legal team asserts his innocence and maintains that he has “nothing to hide.”
Marc Agnifilo, Combs’s attorney, expressed disappointment in what he described as an unjust prosecution by the US Attorney’s Office, emphasizing Combs’s contributions as a music icon and philanthropist over the past 30 years.
Earlier this year, the Homeland Security Investigations’ months-long sex trafficking probe included searches of Combs’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami. This federal probe is reportedly broader than initially revealed, encompassing allegations of sex trafficking, money laundering, and illegal drug activities.
Combs faces multiple civil lawsuits, with nine involving direct accusations of sexual assault. Notably, a recent lawsuit by Dawn Richard, a former member of Danity Kane, accuses Combs of sexual battery and other offenses. Combs has consistently denied all allegations from the various lawsuits.
Following his arrest, reactions have surfaced across social media, with figures like Aubrey O’Day expressing a sense of validation and support for justice for women worldwide.
In light of the controversies, Combs issued a public apology earlier this year following the release of a video showing him assaulting his former girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. He acknowledged his actions in the video, taking full responsibility and expressing disgust at his behavior.
As the legal proceedings unfold, Combs’s attorney, Shawn Holley, has vehemently denied the allegations, defending Combs against claims from another lawsuit filed by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, which includes accusations of sexual assault and harassment. Holley describes Jones’s allegations as complete fabrications, asserting that they have substantial proof to dispute his claims.
