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Sean “Diddy” Combs was reportedly arrested after being indicted by a grand jury in New York

Sean “Diddy” Combs will be charged in federal court in New York, his lawyer said late Monday.Video above: Homes of Sean “Diddy” Combs in Los Angeles and Miami searched. Details of the charges were not immediately released by prosecutors, but Combs' attorney, Marc Agnifilo, issued a statement saying, “We are disappointed in the U.S. Attorney's decision to pursue what we believe is an unjustified prosecution of Mr. Combs.” He added that Combs traveled to New York last week in anticipation of the charges. “He is an imperfect human being, but he is not a criminal,” Agnifilo said. Criminal charges would be a major but not unexpected blow to one of the most prominent producers and famous names in hip-hop history. The federal investigation into Combs, 58, was uncovered when Homeland Security Investigations agents simultaneously executed search warrants on March 25, raiding Combs's mansions in Los Angeles and Miami. His defense attorney, Aaron Dyer, the day after the charges were filed, called the police raids a “blatant use of military force,” saying the allegations were “baseless” and said Combs was “innocent and will keep fighting” to clear his name. Combs, then known as Puff Daddy, was at the center of hip-hop's East-West coast battles in the 1990s as a partner and producer of the Notorious B.I.G., who was shot in 1997. But like many who survived that era, his public image had softened with age and he was seen as a genteel party host in Hollywood and the Hamptons, a fashion-conscious businessman and a loving father who spoiled his children, some of whom lost their mothers in 2018. But in November, a different picture began to emerge when his former protégé and girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, became the first of several people to sue him for sexual abuse, with stories of a steady stream of sex workers in drug-fueled environments where some of those involved were coerced or persuaded to have sex. In her November report about sexually assaulting Combs, which he published in November 2018, he said, “I'm not sure I should do this, but I'm not sure I should do this.” Cassie alleged years of abuse in the lawsuit, including beatings and rape. Her lawsuit also alleged that Combs engaged in sex trafficking by “forcing her to engage in forced sexual acts in multiple jurisdictions” and by “harboring and transporting the plaintiff for the purposes of sex induced by force, fraud, or coercion.” It also says he forced her to help him traffic male sex workers, with whom Combs forced Cassie to have sex while filming. The lawsuit was settled the following day, but the aftermath would last much longer. Combs lost remaining allies, supporters and those who reserved judgment when CNN aired a leaked video in May of him punching, kicking and throwing Cassie to the ground in a hotel hallway. The following day, in his first real admission of wrongdoing since the flood of allegations began, Combs posted a social media video apologizing and saying, “I was disgusted when I did it” and “I'm disgusted now.” Cassie's lawsuit was followed by at least a half-dozen more in the months that followed. In February, a music producer filed a lawsuit claiming Combs forced him to solicit prostitutes and pressured him to have sex with them. Another of Combs' accusers was a woman who said the rap producer raped her two decades ago, when she was 17. Another woman who filed a lawsuit, April Lampos, said she was a college student in 1994 when she met Combs and began a series of “terrifying sexual encounters” with Combs and those around him that lasted for years. Combs and his lawyers denied nearly all of the lawsuit's allegations. While authorities have not said publicly that the lawsuits sparked the criminal investigation, Dyer said when the warrants were served that the case was based on “baseless allegations in civil suits.” The AP does not typically name people who say they were sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie and Lampros did. As founder of Bad Boy Records, Combs became one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past three decades. In addition to Notorious BIG, he worked with a number of high-profile artists, including Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112. Combs' role in his business ventures beyond music – including lucrative private label liquor, a media company and the Sean John fashion line – suffered major setbacks when the allegations surfaced. The consequences were even more severe when the leaked beating video surfaced. Howard University cut ties with him and he returned his key to the City of New York at the mayor's request.

Sean “Diddy” Combs will face charges in federal court in New York, his lawyer said late Monday.

File video above: Raid on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami

Details of the charges were not immediately released by prosecutors, but Combs' attorney, Marc Agnifilo, issued a statement saying: “We are disappointed by the U.S. Attorney's decision to pursue what we believe is an unjustified prosecution of Mr. Combs.”

He added that Combs traveled to New York last week to await arraignment.

“He is an imperfect human being, but he is not a criminal,” Agnifilo said.

A criminal complaint would be a severe but not unexpected blow for one of the most important producers and famous names in hip-hop history.

The federal investigation into Combs, 58, came to light when Department of Homeland Security agents simultaneously executed search warrants and raided Combs' mansions in Los Angeles and Miami on March 25.

His defense attorney, Aaron Dyer, described the raids the day after as “a gross use of military force,” said the allegations were “baseless” and added that Combs was “innocent and will continue to fight” to clear his name.

Combs, then known as Puff Daddy, was at the center of hip-hop's East Coast-West Coast battle in the 1990s as a partner and producer of the Notorious BIG, who was shot in 1997. But like many who survived that era, his public image had mellowed with age. Today, he is a genteel party promoter in Hollywood and the Hamptons, a fashion-conscious businessman and a loving father who spoils his children, some of whom lost their mothers in 2018.

But a different picture emerged in November when his former protégé and girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, became the first of several people to sue him for sexual abuse, alleging a steady stream of sex workers in drug-fueled environments where some of those involved were coerced or persuaded to have sex.

In her November lawsuit, Cassie alleged years of abuse, including beatings and rape. Her lawsuit also alleged that Combs engaged in sex trafficking by “forcing her to perform coercive sexual acts in multiple jurisdictions” and “harboring and transporting the plaintiff for the purposes of sex induced by force, fraud or coercion.” It also said he forced her to help him traffic male sex workers, with whom Combs forced Cassie to have sex while he filmed.

The case was settled the next day, but its aftermath lasted much longer. Combs lost his last allies, supporters and those who had yet to pass judgment when CNN aired a leaked video in May of him punching, kicking and throwing Cassie to the ground in a hotel hallway.

The next day, in a social media video, Combs posted his first real admission of wrongdoing since the flood of allegations began, apologizing: “I was disgusted when I did it” and “I'm still disgusted now.” Cassie's lawsuit was followed by at least a half dozen more in the months that followed.

In February, a music producer filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of forcing him to solicit prostitutes and pressuring him to have sex with them.

Another of Combs' accusers was a woman who claimed the rap producer raped her two decades ago when she was 17.

April Lampos, another woman who filed the lawsuit, said she met Combs as a college student in 1994 and had a series of “terrifying sexual encounters” with Combs and those around him that lasted for years.

Combs and his lawyers denied almost all of the allegations in the lawsuit.

While authorities did not publicly state that the lawsuits triggered the criminal investigation, Dyer stated in serving the warrants that the case was based on “baseless allegations in civil litigation.”

The AP typically does not name people who report sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as was the case with Cassie and Lampros.

As founder of Bad Boy Records, Combs became one of the most influential hip-hop producers and managers of the past three decades. In addition to Notorious BIG, he has worked with a number of high-profile artists, including Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112.

When the allegations emerged, Combs' role in his business ventures outside of music – including lucrative private label liquor, a media company and the Sean John clothing line – took a major blow.

The consequences were even more severe when the leaked video of the beating surfaced. Howard University cut ties with him and he returned his key to the City of New York at the mayor's request.

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