Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was arrested Monday night in New York City following an indictment from a grand jury.
It appears the action was taken in connection with the ongoing criminal investigation into alleged sex trafficking and other offenses that led to search warrants being issued and executed at Diddy’s homes in Beverly Hills and Miami. As we reported, a grand jury has been hearing testimony from various accusers over the last few months.
The 54 year old artist was arrested by Homeland Security officials at the Park Hyatt hotel in midtown Manhattan late Monday and was transported to the FBI’s Manhattan field office.
Authorities had planned on arresting Combs on Tuesday, but ‘something happened’ that caused federal officials to take him into custody earlier than scheduled, an official told the outlet.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Combs was apprehended in connection with a Southern District of New York-issued sealed indictment – but federal officials said they will ask a judge to unseal the indictment today.
Combs, also known as Diddy and Puff Daddy, has been in the limelight for most of the past year after he settled a lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in November of 2023, in which she claimed he engaged in sex trafficking and abused her.
A video of him attacking her in 2016 in a Los Angeles hotel room went viral this past May, leading him to say that he’d ‘hit rock bottom’ and made ‘no excuses’ for his ‘inexcusable’ conduct depicted in the clip, adding that he takes ‘full responsibility.’
Before being taken into custody, Combs was seen relaxing in New York’s Central Park before walking the streets of the Big Apple alongside his son Christian Combs.
”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. Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo stated.
‘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.
‘He is an imperfect person but he [is] not a criminal. To his credit, Mr. Combs has been cooperative with this investigation and voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.
Agnifilo added: ‘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
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