Sean “Diddy” Combs arrested after grand jury indictment in New York

Diddy has been embroiled in controversy for months after numerous allegations of sexual and physical abuse were made against him by his former partners and creative collaborators. The music mogul's mansions in Los Angeles and Miami were the target of a Department of Homeland Security raid in March.

Authorities did not release further details about the raid at the time, but the New York Times reported that an official described the investigation as part of a human trafficking probe.

Combs has vehemently denied the allegations against him.

“We are disappointed by the U.S. Attorney's decision to pursue what we believe is an unjustified prosecution of Mr. Combs,” Marc Agnifilo, Combs' attorney, said in a statement to BI.

Agnifilo said his client is “not a perfect person, but he is not a criminal.” He described Combs as “quite cooperative in this investigation” and as having voluntarily relocated to New York last week “in anticipation of these charges.”

“Please reserve your judgment until you know all the facts,” Agnifilo said. “These are the actions of an innocent man who has nothing to hide and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Agnifilo had previously told BI that sex trafficking allegations made by Combs' ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, were the trigger for the investigation by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.

Ventura first made her allegations public in a lawsuit in November 2023. She accused Combs of years of physical abuse, rape and sexual assault during their on-off relationship from 2007 to 2018. The lawsuit was settled on undisclosed terms. In May, CNN released a 2016 video showing Combs shoving, dragging and kicking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel, prompting further investigation.

The ongoing legal battles have severely impacted Combs' business activities. Earlier this year, he divested from spirits giant Diagio and in June sold his entire stake in Revolt, the media company he founded.

Although recent allegations of sexual assault have sparked a new wave of criticism against the rapper, Combs has been plagued by allegations of violence for decades.

In 1999, Combs pleaded guilty to harassment after being arrested on suspicion of assaulting Interscope Records executive Steve Stoute. That same year, he and his then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez were arrested and Combs was charged with illegal possession of a firearm after police found a gun in his car following a shooting at a New York City club. He was acquitted of the weapons charges in 2001.

This is a developing story, please check back later for updates.