Renowned rapper and music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs was taken into custody in New York City on Monday evening, in connection with a federal investigation into sex trafficking, according to official reports. The 54-year-old voluntarily traveled to New York, expecting his arrest on federal charges that originated from a grand jury indictment, as per prosecutors and inside sources.
Combs, who was seen earlier in the evening walking through Manhattan with his son Christian “King” Combs, was apprehended at the Park Hyatt New York by Homeland Security Investigations, an agency known for handling sex trafficking cases. The specific charges against Combs were not immediately disclosed. However, he is scheduled to appear in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday morning, where the indictment and charges against him will be made public.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, confirmed the arrest, stating, “Federal agents arrested Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY. We expect to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.”
Combs has recently faced accusations of repeated sexual and physical abuse during his peak years as a producer for prominent hip hop artists such as Mary K. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, and the late Biggie Smalls, in the 1990s and 2000s. His first accusation of a pattern of domestic and sexual violence, including trafficking, came from his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, who filed a lawsuit against him last November.
Ventura’s lawsuit opened the floodgates, leading to over half a dozen alleged victims filing their own lawsuits against Combs. On March 25, Combs’ residences in Beverly Hills and Miami were raided by Homeland Security. The purpose of the March raid remains unclear, but it is believed to be part of the sex-trafficking investigation.
In her lawsuit, Ventura detailed years of alleged abuse, including beatings, repeated rapes, and forced sexual encounters with male sex workers, which Combs allegedly filmed. Combs denied the allegations and settled the lawsuit within a day. However, a disturbing video showing him assaulting Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016 recently surfaced, leading to renewed backlash.
In May, CNN aired the video, which shows Combs throwing Ventura to the ground and assaulting her in the hallway. Combs posted a video apology for the shocking assault on social media the following day, marking the first time he acknowledged the allegations against him.
In the same month, several of Combs’ accusers, who had sued him for alleged abuse, were informed by federal investigators that they might be called to testify before a grand jury. The accusers have alleged that Combs drugged and raped them, filmed their sexual encounters without their consent, and forced them into sexual acts with others.
Combs has strongly denied all the allegations, claiming that the plaintiffs were seeking a quick payday. The only lawsuit he settled was with Ventura. Following his arrest, Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo released a statement, expressing disappointment with the decision to pursue what he believes is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs.