Diddy Indicted on Federal Sex-Trafficking and Racketeering Charges

Nearly a year after an incendiary, and quickly settled, lawsuit brought scrutiny to Sean “Diddy” Combs’s personal life, the hip-hop mogul has been indicted on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges in New York. According to his legal team, Combs voluntarily relocated to the Park Hyatt hotel in Manhattan ahead of his arrest on Monday evening.

“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,” Combs’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement, describing his client as “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,” the statement continued. “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. 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.”

The charges follow a series of legal battles surrounding Combs. In November, his former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, who performs as Cassie and had been signed to Combs’s record label, accused him of years of sexual and physical abuse. The suit was settled in just a day, but its contents set out a disturbing portrait that instantly reframed the playboy persona that Combs had cultivated for decades.

In the months to come, Combs faced an additional eight lawsuits involving sexual misconduct, five of which included an allegation of sexual assault. He is fighting all of these suits and has denied any wrongdoing in connection with them. In March, federal agents raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami, and while authorities noted few details at that time, the televised spectacle set off widespread discussion of potential criminal charges. His arrest marks the most dire legal threat he has faced to date, and further cements the sharp turn he has taken from world-beating impresario to punchline.

Still, Combs has seemed somewhat pointed in his efforts to appear unfazed, posing for photos at a Miami cafe only a few days after the raids of his homes. As the summer began, TMZ photographed him white-water rafting in Jackson Hole. In the lead-up to his arrest, the only public sign of contrition he offered came when video evidence of his abuse emerged. After CNN published hotel surveillance video from 2016 showing Combs dragging and kicking Ventura, he posted an apology video on Instagram.

“I was disgusted then when I did it,” Combs said. “I’m disgusted now.”

This is a developing story.