American rapper and business mogul, Sean “Diddy” Combs is in serious legal trouble after being charged with sex trafficking and racketeering.
The charges were made public barely a day following his arrest by the federal authorities. According to reports, Homeland Security Investigations investigators arrested the rapper at a Manhattan hotel where he had been staying for a few weeks.
In the indictment, which was released Tuesday, authorities accuse Combs of compelling women into taking part in “highly orchestrated performances,” which he referred to as “freak-offs.” The “freak-offs” allegedly involved male sex workers; the indictment claims that Combs arranged for ladies and sex workers to fly to his location.
During a search of Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles this year, law enforcement seized narcotics and more than a thousand bottles of baby oil and lubricant, according to the indictment. Agents also seized firearms and ammunition, including three AR-15s with defaced serial numbers, the indictment said.
The document portrays Combs as a violent man who choked and shoved people, hit and kicked victims and sometimes dragged them by their hair, causing injuries that often took days or weeks to heal. His employees and associates sometimes witnessed his violence and kept victims from leaving or tracked down those who tried, the indictment said.
It alleges that Combs sometimes kept videos of victims engaging in sex acts and used the recordings as “collateral” to ensure the women’s continued obedience and silence. He also exerted control over victims by promising career opportunities, providing and threatening to withhold financial support, dictating how they looked, monitoring their health records and controlling where they lived, according to the indictment.
The claims against Combs are not new. Prosecutors claim the rapper’s misconduct began in 2009, when he reportedly assaulted multiple women. One incident from 2016 at a Los Angeles hotel is highlighted, in which Combs is said to have “kicked, dragged, and thrown a vase” at a woman. This encounter was purportedly captured on camera, and the indictment alleges that Combs attempted to bribe a hotel employee to cover up what happened.
In reaction to these allegations following the arrest on Monday night, Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, issued a statement expressing disappointment with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He called the indictment a “unjust prosecution” and emphasized that Combs had completely cooperated with the inquiry, even moving to New York last week in anticipation of the charges.
Agnifilo’s statement also depicted a different picture of Diddy, describing him as a self-made entrepreneur, dedicated father, and philanthropist who has made substantial contributions to the Black community. He asked the public not to jump to judgments, noting that Combs is “an imperfect person,” but not a criminal.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 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.” The statement said.
“He is an imperfect person but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.” It continued.
The statement ended by asking the public to “Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
In recent times, the rapper, Just last week on September 11, Dawn Richard, a participant on MTV’s “Making the Band” and a longtime member of Combs’ groups, filed a new lawsuit against the rapper claiming years of harassment and abuse under “inhumane working conditions.”
Recall that on Nov. 16, singer Cassie filed a lawsuit in New York against Diddy, whom she dated on-again-off-again from 2007 to 2018. She accused the musician of raping and abusing her over the course of their decade-long relationship.
One day after she filed the lawsuit, the two reached a settlement with no details about the settlement being made public. An attorney for Combs clarified that settling the case was not an admission of guilt, and Combs has consistently denied the allegations.
Shortly after, on Nov. 23, a woman named Joi Dickerson-Neal accused Diddy of drugging and raping her when she was a college student at Syracuse University in 1991, according to the court documents.
The following day, November 24, another lady accused Combs and his friend Aaron Hall of raping her. The complainant, Liza Gardner, filed an updated complaint in February, revealing that she was 16 years old at the time of the alleged assault in New York City in 1990. In 1990, the age of consent for sexual intercourse in New York was 17 years.
On December 6, one woman alleged that the rapper, his longtime associate Harve Pierre, and a third unidentified guy sex trafficked and gang-raped her when she was 17 years old in 2003, according to court filings.
Combs’ legal troubles worsened in March when federal agents raided his houses in Miami and Los Angeles. These searches were carried out in response to allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and the illicit sale of drugs and firearms.
The warrants were issued by the Southern District of New York, indicating that federal agents are heavily involved in the investigation. According to NBC News, detectives have examined many people involved in the charges, adding to the gravity of Combs’ position.
Less than a week later, Combs was accused of drugging and sexually abusing Crystal McKinney. McKinney claimed in her May 21 lawsuit that she was 22 years old when she met Combs, who led her to a toilet and began forcing himself on her, and kissed her without her consent. He then allegedly shoved her head down into his crotch and forced her to have oral sex with him.
