Sean Combs indicted by grand jury, arrested in Manhattan

Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in Manhattan after being indicted by a grand jury. New York Times Reports. The exact nature of the charges is currently unclear, but over the past ten months, Combs has been the subject of multiple lawsuits and a federal investigation into allegations including sexual, physical and verbal abuse, sex trafficking, and the solicitation and distribution of illegal drugs and firearms.

Combs' legal team told the Just They were disappointed with the decision to prosecute him, noting that he “voluntarily relocated to New York last week to avoid these charges.” Another statement from his attorney: “Sean 'Diddy' Combs is a music icon, a self-made entrepreneur, a loving family man and a proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children and advocating for the advancement of the black community. He is an imperfect human being, but he is not a criminal.”

The allegations against Combs have mounted since Cassie Ventura, his ex-girlfriend and former artist on his Bad Boy record label, sued him last November for rape and repeated physical abuse and quickly reached a settlement. CNN later released graphic surveillance video from a hotel of Combs beating Ventura in 2016.

Since Ventura came forward, Combs has faced several similar lawsuits, including recently with another former Bad Boy artist, Dawn Richard. He was recently ordered to pay $100 million in another sexual harassment lawsuit. Today's arrest appears to stem from the investigation, which led to searches by federal authorities of Combs' homes in Miami and Los Angeles.