Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested on Monday, September 17th in Manhattan by federal authorities at the Park Hyatt hotel. He was caught off guard, according to authorities, and had been living at the hotel for several weeks.
US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams put out a statement on Monday evening confirming Diddy was arrested based on a sealed indictment filed by the New York district.
Sean “P. Diddy” Combs had been raided in both his Los Angeles and Miami residences earlier in the year. According to his lawyer, he had been cooperating with authorities so much so that Combs had voluntarily relocated to New York over the last few weeks in anticipation of the indictment.
His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said in a 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.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs looks forward to “clearing up” his name in court
Marc Agnifilo, Diddy’s lawyer, finished the statement by saying “These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
This is going to prove challenging for Diddy’s legal team, as the music icon faces a wave of lawsuits. He has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct since November 2023. The wave of lawsuits began when one of Diddy’s ex-girlfriends, Cassandra Ventura, sued him in federal court, accusing him of years of physical and sexual abuse.
“Cassie Ventura” as she is known in the world of entertainment, was once signed to Diddy’s Bad Boy record label and had settled the initial lawsuit with Diddy without the details being disclosed. Despite the lawsuit being settled, Comb’s legal team quickly highlighted the settlement was not an admission of wrongdoing.
Despite this claim, in May 2024, CNN released a video of Diddy kicking, punching, and throwing Cassie Ventura in a hallway in Los Angeles in 2016.
Initially, Combs had apologized through his Instagram account and claimed he had sought out therapy. Since then, however, the apology video has been deleted from Diddy’s Instagram page.
The music icon is facing sex trafficking charges
Cassie Ventura’s lawsuit is fundamental to understanding the case against Sean “Diddy” Combs. Her lawsuit included allegations of sex trafficking against Diddy.
In the lawsuit, Ventura alleged that Diddy frequently beat her and coerced her into realizing sexual acts with male prostitutes against her will. This would happen in drug-fueled events Diddy called “freak offs,” which were sometimes also recorded.
She also alleged that, in 2018, when she tried to end the relationship, Diddy broke into her private domicile and raped her.
Victim attorneys Rodney S. Diggs and Tyrone Blackburn said Diddy’s arrest was “long-awaited” and labeled it as an important step towards justice for all of Combs’s victims.
Attorneys also state they anticipate more victims coming forward, as they know the evidence is quite strong, and it was only a matter of time before it came to this.
P. Diddy has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges but was still denied jail
Music icon Sean P. Diddy Combs pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking charges, and transportation to engage in prostitution on Tuesday afternoon but was denied bail. His bail was denied by prosecutors because according to them, Diddy had previously reached out to witnesses and victims.
Prosecutors have also thrown new allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs, alleging that he created and ran a criminal enterprise through his business empire.
Diddy faces more charges which include, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.
Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, talked to the press and told them Diddy “ame here to turn himself in. Why doesn’t the government want him to turn himself in? Because then they can’t ask for detention.” They will attempt to appeal the no-bail decision on Wednesday afternoon when a different judge hears their appeal in the same New York courtroom.
