Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs hit with sex trafficking, racketeering and prostitution charges after arrest
Sean “Diddy” Combs was hit with several charges after being arrested by federal agents Monday.
Court documents obtained by Page Six ahead of Combs’ arraignment Tuesday state that he has been hit with three counts: racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Prosecutors claim in the 14-page unsealed indictment that the 54-year-old “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct” for decades, “creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in … sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
The details of the charges come hours after the Bad Boy Records founder was detained at the Park Hyatt hotel in New York City amid a criminal investigation that led to his Miami and Los Angeles mansions being raided by the feds in March.
In a statement, Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, condemned his client’s arrest.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the US Attorney’s Office,” he said Monday.
“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.”
Agnifilo acknowledged that the “Act Bad” rapper is an “imperfect person” but insisted 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,” the attorney said.
“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.”
Combs’ downfall began in November 2023 when his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed a bombshell lawsuit against the rap mogul accusing him of rape and physical abuse throughout their 10-year relationship.
The exes settled the suit the next day.
In May, video surveillance of the Sean John founder violently attacking the “Me & U” singer, 38, in a hotel in 2016 was released to the public.
The clip, which was taken at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Calif., showed a towel-clad Combs punching and kicking Ventura in a hallway as she tried to escape to the elevator.
After the video surfaced, the “Last Night” rapper, who had previously denied abusing the model, issued an apology for his actions, saying his behavior in the video was “inexcusable.”
He also claimed that he had sought “professional help” and “started going to therapy and rehab.”
Several other people have since come forward to accuse Combs of sexual assault, sex trafficking, rape and other misconduct and illegal activity.
He is currently facing at least eight separate lawsuits, including one from Dawn Richard, who was previously signed to Bad Boy Records with his girl group Danity Kane and trio Diddy – Dirty Money.
In her suit, Richard, 41, claimed her former boss had inappropriately touched her while she was undressed and physically abused Ventura on several occasions in front of her.
Combs, a father of seven, has denied wrongdoing.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
