SEAN “Diddy” Combs has been charged with sex trafficking following a months-long federal investigation that culminated with his arrest in New York City on Monday night.
The 54-year-old music mogul was held in custody overnight after Homeland Security Investigations officers arrested him at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs at the 2018 Met Gala[/caption] Homeland Security Investigation agents at Combs’ home in Miami Beach, Florida, in March 2024[/caption] The rapper in Central Park the day before his arrest[/caption] The Park Hyatt hotel in Manhattan, where Combs was arrested on Monday night[/caption]The federal indictment detailing the charges was unsealed at Combs’ arraignment on Tuesday.
Combs is charged with three counts in total: racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The charges allege that Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
The unsealed indictment revealed Combs held “Freak Offs,” where he allegedly forced victims to have sex with sex workers and recorded the disturbing scenes.
“Freak Offs were elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded,” prosecutors alleged.
The documents revealed Combs allegedly arranged for sex workers to be transported internationally and across state lines for the freak offs, which sometimes lasted for multiple days and involved multiple sex workers.
Prosecutors said that Combs used “the sensitive, embarrassing, and incriminating recordings that he made during Freak Offs as collateral to ensure the continued obedience and silence of the victims.”
The charges also accuse the hitmaker of distributing drugs to victims during the freak offs to keep them “obedient and compliant.”
Victims of the sex acts received IV fluids to recover after the freak offs, the indictment said.
In March of this year, searches of Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles revealed “various Freak Off supplies” including narcotics and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lube.
The rapper’s reputation as a hitmaker has been tainted in the past year by several sexual assault lawsuits, a violent surveillance video showing him beating his ex-girlfriend, and the federal sex trafficking probe.
HSI – the lead investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security – handles transnational crime cases, including human trafficking, terrorism, and drug smuggling.
The indictment said that the US government seeks to recover an undetermined amount of money involved in Combs’ alleged crimes, court documents revealed.
Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, told reporters that the musician had “voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.”
He added that his client has “nothing to hide.”
Agnifilo described Combs 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 is not criminal,” he added.
Since last November, Combs has faced 10 lawsuits, with nine directly accusing him of sexual assault.
Diddy was hit with a wave of lawsuits in late 2023 and 2024 with allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. He has denied all claims against him.
A lawyer for one of the alleged victims has spoken out.
Attorney Rodney Diggs, speaking on behalf of Grace O’Marcaigh, who is suing Combs and his son Christian, said: “The long-awaited arrest of Sean Combs is the first step for our clients receiving justice.
“We leave the criminal aspect of this case in the hands of the people and justice system.
Former yacht employee O'Marcaigh filed a lawsuit against Combs' son Christian alleging he sexually assaulted her
“The long-awaited arrest of Sean Combs is the first step for our clients receiving justice.
We leave the criminal aspect of this case in the hands of the people and justice system.
As for the civil cases, we await our time for the facts to reveal themselves and seek the justice our clients deserve.
We also anticipate more victims coming forward. We knew this was coming.
The evidence is very clear and it was only a matter of time.
This is an important step towards justice for all of Mr. Combs’ victims including my clients. Justice will prevail.”
Attorney Rodney Diggs, O’Marcaigh’s lawyer
“As for the civil cases, we await our time for the facts to reveal themselves and seek the justice our clients deserve.
“We also anticipate more victims coming forward. We knew this was coming. The evidence is very clear and it was only a matter of time.
“This is an important step towards justice for all of Mr. Combs’ victims including my clients. Justice will prevail.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
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