Tag: Sean “Diddy” Combs

  • Music Mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced To More Than Four Years In Prison

    Music Mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced To More Than Four Years In Prison

    Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to more than four years in prison Friday for prostitution-related crimes, capping a dramatic, all-day court hearing during which the music mogul apologized and begged for mercy.

    Prosecutors had sought 11 years behind bars for the 55-year-old Combs, but District Judge Arun Subramanian handed down a 50-month sentence and a $500,000 fine.

    Combs’s lawyers had urged the judge to sentence the hip-hop star to 14 months, which would effectively have been time served since he has been incarcerated in Brooklyn for more than a year.

    Combs was acquitted by a jury in July of the most serious charges against him — sex trafficking and racketeering — but convicted of two counts of transporting people across state lines for prostitution.

    The judge on Friday allowed the defense to present for hours on Combs’s behalf, during which the disgraced artist himself also gave an emotional address.

    At the end of it all, Subramanian had piercing words for Combs — and poignant ones for the victims who testified during Combs’s trial.

    “We heard you,” the judge said in his statement to the witnesses, who spoke in excruciating detail of prolonged, coercive and devastating abuse at the hands of Combs.

    “The number of people who you reached is incalculable,” he said in comments for Combs’s former partners, who were not present.

    “You stood up to power. It’s not easy.”

    Subramanian said he was bound by the law to deliver a sentence that met the gravity of Combs’s “serious offenses” which he said had “irreparably harmed two women.”

    “The court is not assured that if released these crimes will not be committed again.”

    But even Subramanian himself noted that the punishment he rendered was significantly shorter than the range probation officers had recommended, of 70 to 87 months.

    He told Combs he was counting on him to “make the most of your second chance.”

    Tearfully addressing the court before the judge handed down the sentence, Combs said he was “truly sorry” for his actions.

    “I ask your honor for mercy,” he said. “I beg your honor for mercy.”

    Combs apologized to his family as well as his victims, saying his behavior was “disgusting, shameful and sick.”

    “I was sick. Sick from the drugs. I was out of control. I needed help but I didn’t get the help.”

    – ‘Abuse and control’ –

    Combs’s former girlfriend Casandra Ventura submitted a letter to the judge asking him to consider “the many lives that Sean Combs has upended with his abuse and control.”

    Ventura, the 39-year-old singer known as Cassie, described in wrenching detail the physical, emotional and sexual abuse she suffered during a more than decade-long relationship with Combs.

    Ventura and another woman, identified as Jane, said they were coerced into performing so-called “freak offs”: sexual marathons with hired men that Combs directed and sometimes filmed.

    Ventura said she has nightmares and flashbacks “on a regular, everyday basis.”

    She told the judge she and her family had left the New York area for fear of retribution from Combs if he is released.

    In reaction to the sentencing, Ventura’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor commended the singer for her “bravery.”

    “While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognizes the impact of the serious offenses he committed.”

    The defense team vowed to appeal, telling journalists outside the courthouse they felt the judge acted as a “13th juror” and that the sentencing was “unconstitutional.”

    – Next chapter –

    Prosecutor Christy Slavik, arguing for the 11-year sentence, said Combs had not accepted responsibility for his actions.

    “His remorse was qualified. It’s as though he thinks the law doesn’t apply to him,” Slavik said.

    And in arguing for a far lesser sentence, Nicole Westmoreland, one of Combs’s lawyers, called him an “inspiration” to the Black community and a social justice crusader.

    The judge recognized that accomplishment as well as Combs’s mammoth success in the entertainment business, and also acknowledged the hardship Combs’s additional incarceration would have on his family.

    During the proceedings Combs’s six adult children each delivered an emotional plea on their father’s behalf, with several of them dubbing him a “changed man.”

    “Please, please give our family the chance to heal together,” said one of his daughters, D’Lila Combs.

    “Not as headlines but as human beings.”

    Subramanian pointed out to Combs that his prison time was not lifelong.

    “You are going to get through this,” the judge said to him and his family.

    “You have a universe of people who love you,” he told Combs. “Let them lift you up now just as you have lifted them up for so many years.”

  • Diddy’s Ex, Cassie, Tells Jury He Controlled Her Life and Humiliated Her with ‘Freak Offs’

    Diddy’s Ex, Cassie, Tells Jury He Controlled Her Life and Humiliated Her with ‘Freak Offs’

    The prosecution’s star witness testified about the alleged physical and emotional abuse she endured at the hands of the rapper during so-called “freak-offs”, or sexual encounters the couple had with male escorts.

    Family and friends have come to court in large numbers to support Mr Combs, whose legal team has not yet questioned Ms Ventura.

    Mr Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

    Ms Ventura fell ‘in love’ with Mr Combs

    Prosecutors began by questioning Ms Ventura – one of their two central witnesses in the case – about her 11-year, on-and-off relationship with Mr Combs.

    Now 38 and pregnant with her third child, she met Mr Combs when she was a 19-year-old aspiring singer and he was 37.

    His record label would later sign Ms Ventura as an artist, and shortly afterwards their romantic relationship began.

    At the time, she testified, she felt like they were in a monogamous relationship, though she knows now that he had other girlfriends.

    She said she “fell in love” with the “larger-than-life entrepreneur and musician”. But it was not long before she noticed another side to him, she said.

    Mr Combs wanted to ‘control’ every part of her life, Ms Ventura says

    Mr Combs wanted to “control” her life, Ms Ventura said. She said he paid for her home, her cars, her phone and other technology that he would sometimes take away to “punish” her.

    “Control was everything, from the way that I looked… to what I was working on,” Ms Ventura said.

    Eventually, she claimed, the control turned violent. Mr Combs would “bash on my head, knock me over, drag me and kick me” frequently, Ms Ventura testified, sometimes through tears.

    She alleged that she was left with swollen lips, black eyes and knots on her forehead.

    Ms Ventura felt ‘humiliated’ by ‘freak-offs’

    Prosecutors spent hours on Tuesday asking Ms Ventura about so-called “freak-offs”.

    Ms Ventura told the court how Mr Combs introduced her to the sexual events during the first year of their relationship. They would hire a male escort or stripper to have sex with Ms Ventura while Mr Combs watched.

    Ms Ventura told the court that she first tried the encounters to make Mr Combs “happy”. But she said they humiliated her, and sometimes lasted three to four days.

    “I felt pretty horrible about myself,” she told the court, wiping away tears. “It made me feel worthless.”

    Ms Ventura told the court she never wanted to have sex with anyone but Mr Combs, and claimed she would take myriad drugs – marijuana, ecstasy and ketamine – to help her perform to Mr Combs’ satisfaction, but also to “disassociate”.

    The drugs were “a way to not feel it for what it really was”, she said, “having sex with a stranger I didn’t really want to be having sex with”.

     

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    Mr Combs flew male escorts in for freak-offs, court hears

    As prosecutors pressed Ms Ventura about the “freak-offs”, she told the court of how Mr Combs would direct her to find male escorts, strippers or dancers to have sex with while he watched.

    She alleged that Mr Combs would pay the men anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000 in cash, depending on their performance.

    They found the men through stripper companies and sites like Craigslist. Some of their photos were displayed to the jurors, including Daniel Phillip, who finished his testimony earlier on Tuesday.

    Ms Ventura and Mr Combs had the enounters in cities around the world, including Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and Ibiza, Spain, Ms Ventura testified.

    Sometimes, men would be flown in during vacations, she alleged, and Mr Combs would direct her to ask staff to pay for and arrange their travel, calling them new employees.

    Among other charges, prosecutors are trying to prove that Mr Combs engaged in sex trafficking – human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation – and transportation to engage in prostitution.

     

    Mr Combs ‘directed’, Ms Ventura says

    As prosecutors pressed Ms Ventura for graphic details, one key element emerged: Ms Ventura claimed that Mr Combs controlled every part of the encounters.

    He chose the outfits she wore – down to the extremely high heels she kept on for hours – as well as the sexual acts that transpired and the lighting, Ms Ventura told jurors.

    “If Sean wanted something to happen, that was what was going to happen,” she said. “I couldn’t say no.”

    Sometimes, Ms Ventura said, she would take the lead on which male escorts to hire because Mr Combs was “very busy”, but she only did so at his direction, she said.

    She said freak-offs had a very specific “pattern” of sexual acts each time.

    “He was controlling the whole situation,” she alleged. “He was directing it.”

    At times, Ms Ventura said, she tried to tell Mr Combs that she felt “horrible”. But when he dismissed her concerns, she said, she relented, worried he would get angry or question their relationship.

    Ms Ventura is expected to continue her testimony on Wednesday, when she could also face cross-examination.

    (BBC)

  • Sean Combs Sues NBC For $100 Million For Defamation

    Sean Combs Sues NBC For $100 Million For Defamation

    Sean “Diddy” Combs has filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against TV network NBC over a recent documentary titled “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy.”

    The lawsuit claims that the documentary falsely portrays Combs as a criminal, alleging he committed numerous heinous crimes, including serial murder, rape of minors, and sex trafficking of minors.

    “Indeed, the entire premise of the Documentary assumes that Mr. Combs has committed numerous heinous crimes, including serial murder, rape of minors, and sex trafficking of minors, and attempts to crudely psychologize him,” the complaint reads.

    Combs’ legal team argues that the documentary advances unsubstantiated conspiracy theories and maliciously defames him, causing significant damage to his reputation.

    “It maliciously and baselessly jumps to the conclusion that Mr. Combs is a ‘monster’ and ‘an embodiment of Lucifer’ with ‘a lot of similarities’ to Jeffrey Epstein” read part of the complaint

    Despite the complaints, NBC Universal and the entertainment company’s spokespersons for that produced the documentary, which is also named in the suit, didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

    Combs is currently awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, and his legal team contends that the documentary’s allegations could bias potential jurors.

    The lawsuit seeks to hold NBC and the documentary’s producers accountable for the harm caused by their reckless statements.

  • ‪Kanye West Pleads With Trump To Pardon Diddy‬

    ‪Kanye West Pleads With Trump To Pardon Diddy‬

    With Sean “Diddy” Combs facing trial on multiple sex trafficking and abuse charges, Kanye West is calling on President Donald Trump to intervene.

    The 24-time Grammy winner took to social media Thursday, urging Trump to pardon Combs before his May 5 trial.

    “FREE PUFF,” West wrote on X, later adding, “@realDonaldTrump PLEASE FREE MY BROTHER PUFF.”

    West also criticized celebrities for their silence, stating, “WATCH OUR BROTHER ROT AND NEVER SAY S—,” and referencing Chris Brown: “WE ALL WATCHED TAKE CHRIS BROWN AND AINT NOBODY DO NOTHING I WAS P— THEN TOO CHRIS BROWN ITS TO THE WHEELS FALL OFF.”

    His comments followed Trump’s sweeping pardon of nearly 1,500 January 6th defendants.

    Combs, 55, was arrested by NYPD on September 16 and remains jailed after being denied bail three times.

    Facing charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transporting individuals for prostitution, he could receive a life sentence if convicted.

    In addition, Combs, also known as Puff Daddy, is battling numerous sexual assault lawsuits, including one with Jay-Z as a co-defendant. Several of his accusers are minors, including a 10-year-old boy.

  • ‪Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Hit With New Indictment In Sex Trafficking Case‬

    ‪Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Hit With New Indictment In Sex Trafficking Case‬

    Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trafficked at least three women in a 20-year long sexual abuse scheme, prosecutors said on Thursday in bringing a new criminal indictment against the incarcerated hip-hop mogul.

    The three-count indictment contains no additional charges, but alleges he transported three female victims along with commercial sex workers across state lines and internationally. The first indictment, brought in September, referenced just one female victim.

    Combs, 55, is due to go on trial starting May 5. He pleaded not guilty to the first indictment last year. His lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

    The indictment charges Combs with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The prosecutors said Combs used his business empire, including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment, to sexually abuse women.

    Prosecutors said the abuse included having women take part in recorded sexual performances called “freak offs” with male sex workers who were sometimes transported across state lines.

    One of the victims is Combs’ former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie. Combs apologized last May after CNN broadcast a video showing him kicking, shoving and dragging Cassie in a hotel hallway.

    Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, has said he had never denied the incident, but that the video was not evidence of sex trafficking.

    Agnifilo has also argued that the “freak offs” described by prosecutors were consensual sexual activity.

    Combs has been detained at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center since his arrest in September.

    (Reuters)

  • Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Faces New Sexual Assault Lawsuits

    Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Faces New Sexual Assault Lawsuits

    Two more sexual assault allegations have surfaced against Sean “Diddy” Combs, adding to a growing list of accusations against the music mogul.

    Filed in New York Federal Court, the lawsuits detail disturbing claims spanning decades. Combs, who denies the allegations, now faces increased scrutiny as his legal troubles deepen.

    Diddy Sexual Assault

    Diddy Denies 2006 and 1991 Sexual Assault Claims

    Latroya Grayson, 23 at the time, alleges Combs sexually assaulted her at a 2006 New York party she attended after winning a radio contest.

    She recalls waking up in a hospital with ripped clothing, missing belongings, and no memory of the night.

    Grayson believes she was drugged and later threatened by an anonymous caller warning her not to pursue charges. Combs’ lawyer dismissed her claims as “fiction” and labeled the lawsuit a “money grab.”

    In a separate case, Jane Doe accuses Combs of assaulting her in 1991 at a charity basketball game. She claims the incident occurred in his dressing room while a bodyguard stood outside.

    The woman seeks compensatory and punitive damages for the alleged assault.

    Tony Buzbee: The Lawyer Behind the Cases

    Attorney Tony Buzbee represents both women and has filed nearly two dozen lawsuits against Combs. Some cases involve allegations from minors, including a claim tying Combs and rapper Jay-Z to a 2000 assault.

    Combs’ representatives argue Buzbee’s actions aim to attract media attention. Meanwhile, Combs continues to fight federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges while detained in Brooklyn.

    Christmas Behind Bars for Sean “Diddy” Combs

    This Christmas, Sean “Diddy” Combs will wake up in a stark detention unit in Brooklyn, far from the luxury of his Miami Beach and Los Angeles homes.

    The 55-year-old music mogul, charged with sex trafficking and racketeering on September 16, spends his mornings in a white, dormitory-style cell.

    At 6 a.m., his day begins like any other in the Metropolitan Detention Center. A staff member described his mood as positive, adding, “He’s doing fine. Nobody wants to be here.”

    For lunch, Combs will eat Cornish hen, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, and rolls. Dinner will consist of two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

    Aside from the special holiday meal, the day will feel like any other for the Bad Boy mogul. Combs passes time playing cards with fellow inmates and shooting hoops during recreation.

    Family visits happen on weekdays, either Tuesday or Wednesday. Despite his circumstances, sources say he remains upbeat behind bars.

  • Jay-Z Accused In Lawsuit Of Raping 13-Year-Old Girl With Diddy

    Jay-Z Accused In Lawsuit Of Raping 13-Year-Old Girl With Diddy

    An amended lawsuit filed in federal court on Sunday alleges that rap mogul Jay-Z raped a 13-year-old girl along with Sean “Diddy” Combs during a party in 2000.

    Jay-Z denied the allegations on social media and blasted the lawsuit, calling it part of a “blackmail attempt” by the plaintiff’s lawyer. Lawyers for Jay-Z did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The lawsuit was originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York and at that time did not name Jay-Z as a defendant, though the amended lawsuit says that Jay-Z was identified as “Celebrity A” on the original complaint.
    Combs has denied all allegations against him, including this one, in October. He is currently in jail on federal sex trafficking charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

    The lawsuit alleges that the unnamed girl was drugged and raped by both Jay-Z and Combs at a party hosted by Combs following the MTV Music Awards in 2000, which was held in New York.

    Tony Buzbee, the Texas lawyer representing the girl who filed Sunday’s lawsuit, has filed at least 20 civil lawsuits against Combs accusing him of sexual misconduct.

    In an email to Reuters, Buzbee said the Jay-Z lawsuit “speaks for itself.”

    “This is a very serious matter that will be litigated in court,” Buzbee wrote.

    Buzbee, in his amended lawsuit, says his legal firm had previously sent Jay-Z a letter seeking to mediate a settlement.

    Jay-Z, the lawsuit says, responded to that letter by filing a lawsuit against Buzbee, and by “orchestrating a conspiracy of harassment” against Buzbee and other lawyers in his firm, which the lawyer said was an intimidation tactic meant to silence his client.

    In a post on social media, Buzbee said the alleged rape victim he is representing “never demanded a penny” from Jay-Z, writing that “she only sought a confidential mediation.”

    Buzbee last week filed a lawsuit against law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, whose lawyers represent Combs and Jay-Z, accusing the firm’s legal team of harassing his colleagues, his clients and his family.

    Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan did not respond to requests for comment.

  • Sean “Diddy” Combs Denied Bail Again In Sex Trafficking Case

    Sean “Diddy” Combs Denied Bail Again In Sex Trafficking Case

    Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a “serious risk” of witness tampering and proof he has tried to hide prohibited communications with third parties while incarcerated.

    U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ruled in a five-page order following a bail hearing last week. At the hearing, lawyers for the hip-hop mogul argued that a $50 million bail package they proposed would be sufficient to ensure Combs doesn’t flee and doesn’t try to intimidate prospective trial witnesses.

    Two other judges previously had agreed with prosecutors that the Bad Boy Records founder was a danger to the community if he is not behind bars. Subramanian concurred.

    “There is compelling evidence of Combs’s propensity for violence,” Subramanian wrote.

    Lawyers for Combs did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the decision. Nicholas Biase, a spokesperson for prosecutors, declined comment.

    Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years, aided by associates and employees. An indictment alleges that he silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.

    A federal appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan considers his bail request. That appeal was put on hold while Subramanian, newly appointed to the case after an earlier judge stepped aside, considered the bail request for the first time.

    Subramanian said he took a fresh look at all the bail arguments and the evidence supporting them to make his decision.

    Prosecutors have insisted that no bail conditions would be sufficient to protect the public and prevent the “I’ll Be Missing You” singer from fleeing.

    They say that even in a federal lockup in Brooklyn, Combs has orchestrated social media campaigns designed to influence prospective jurors and tried to publicly leak materials he thinks can help his case. They say he also has contacted potential witnesses through third parties.

    Lawyers for Combs say any alleged sexual abuse described in the indictment occurred during consensual relations between adults and that new evidence refutes allegations that Combs used his “power and prestige” to induce female victims into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs.”

    Subramanian said evidence shows Combs to be a “serious risk of witness tampering,” particularly after he communicated over the summer with a grand jury witness and deleted some of his texts with the witness.

    The judge also cited evidence showing that Combs violated Bureau of Prisons regulations during pretrial detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn when he paid other inmates to use their phone code numbers so he could make calls to individuals who were not on his approved contact list.

    He said there was also evidence that he told family members and defense counsel to add other people to three-way calls so their communications would be more difficult to trace and that he made efforts to influence his trial’s jury pool or to reach potential witnesses.

    Subramanian said his “willingness to skirt” jailhouse rules to conceal communications was “strong evidence” that any conditions of release would not prevent similar behavior.

    The judge said defense claims that Combs stopped using one particular phone technique criticized by prosecutors was belied by the fact that Combs apparently used it again on Sunday, two days after his bail hearing last week.

    Even a bail proposal that would include the strictest form of home confinement seemed insufficient, the judge said.

    “Given the nature of the allegations in this case and the information provided by the government, the Court doubts the sufficiency of any conditions that place trust in Combs and individuals in his employ — like a private security detail — to follow those conditions,” Subramanian wrote.

  • Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Seeks Bail, Citing Changed Circumstances And New Evidence

    Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Seeks Bail, Citing Changed Circumstances And New Evidence

    (AP) — Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs filed a new request for bail on Friday, saying changed circumstances, along with new evidence, mean the hip-hop mogul should be allowed to prepare for a May trial from outside jail.

    Lawyers for Combs filed the request in Manhattan federal court, where his previous requests for bail have been rejected by two judges since his September arrest on racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges.

    He has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees, while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.

    He has been awaiting a May 5 trial at a federal detention facility in Brooklyn.

    In their new court filing, lawyers for Combs say they are proposing a “far more robust” bail package that would subject the entertainer to strict around-the-clock security monitoring and near-total restrictions on his ability to contact anyone but his lawyers. But the amount of money they attach to the package remains $50 million, as they proposed before.

    They also cite new evidence that they say “makes clear that the government’s case is thin.” That evidence, the lawyers said, refutes the government’s claim that a March 2016 video showing Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend occurred during a coerced “freak off,” a sexually driven event described in the indictment against Combs.

    They wrote that the encounter was instead “a minutes-long glimpse into a complex but decade-long consensual relationship” between Combs and his then-girlfriend.

    The lawyers argued that the jail conditions Combs is experiencing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn violate his constitutional rights to participate in his defense.

  • New Lawsuits Accuse Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Of Sexual Assault Against 6 people, Including A 16-Year-Old Boy

    New Lawsuits Accuse Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Of Sexual Assault Against 6 people, Including A 16-Year-Old Boy

    (AP) — A new wave of lawsuits filed Monday accuses Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping women, sexually assaulting men and molesting a 16-year-old boy.

    At least six lawsuits were filed against the hip-hop mogul in federal court in Manhattan. They were filed anonymously, two by women identified as Jane Does and four by men identified as John Does.

    The accusers are part of what their lawyers say is a group of more than 100 alleged victims who are in the process of taking legal action against Combs in the wake of his sex trafficking arrestlast month.

    One of the John Does, a man living in North Carolina, alleges that Combs fondled his genitals when he was 16 at one of the rapper’s famous white parties in Long Island’s Hamptons in 1998.

    The man alleges that during a conversation about possibly breaking into the music industry, Combs abruptly ordered the then-teen to drop his pants.

    According to the man’s lawsuit, Combs explained to him that it was a rite of passage to becoming a music star, at one point asking the then-teen: “Don’t you want to break into the business?”

    The man said he complied out of fear, anxiety and power imbalance he felt with Combs, only realizing later that what had happened was sexual assault.

    Until Monday’s lawsuit, Combs had only been accused in civil cases and his criminal indictment of sexual activity with adults.

    Combs’ lawyers and other representatives did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. When the planned lawsuits were announced Oct. 1, a lawyer said Combs “cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus.”

    Combs, 54, has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges alleging he coerced and abused womenfor years with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings.

    Combs’ lawyers have been trying unsuccessfully to get the Bad Boy Records founder freed on bail. He has been held at a federal jail in Brooklyn since his Sept. 16 arrest.

    Two judges have concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released from the Metropolitan Detention Center, a facility that has been plagued by violence and dysfunction for years. At a bail hearing three weeks ago, a judge rejected a $50 million bail package, including home detention and electronic monitoring, after concluding that Combs was a threat to tamper with witnesses and obstruct a continuing investigation.

    On Friday, an appeals court judge denied Combs’ immediate release from jail while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request.

    The other lawsuits filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan include allegations of rape, forced oral sex and drugging to incapacitate victims.

    One of the Jane Does suing Combs alleges he raped her in a locked hotel room in 2004 after he invited her and a friend there for a party, gave them drinks and told them to snort cocaine.

    The woman, a college freshman at the time, alleges Combs also forced her friend to perform oral sex on him and said he would have them both killed if they didn’t comply with his demands.

    The other Jane Doe alleges Combs violently attacked and raped her in a bathroom in 2005 at a party for the late rapper Biggie Smalls’ music video, “One More Chance.”

    According to the woman, Combs brought her into the bathroom to talk privately and then started kissing her unexpectedly. When she tried to pull away, she alleges, he slammed her head against the wall, causing her to fall to the floor. The woman said she tried to escape, but Combs hit her again and raped her.

    Afterward, according to the woman, Combs nonchalantly adjusted his clothing and told her: “You better not tell anyone about this, or you will disappear.”

    In another John Doe lawsuit, a man working as a security guard at Combs’ Hamptons white party in 2006 alleges the star gave him an alcoholic beverage that he came to believe was laced with a drug that made him feel extremely ill. The man alleges that Combs then pushed him into a van, held him down and sexually assaulted him.

    In the other lawsuits filed Monday, Combs is accused of forcing a man to perform oral sex on him in the stockroom of Macy’s flagship store in Manhattan’s Herald Square in 2008 and sexually assaulting a man at a party in October 2021. The latter man, who suspects a drugged beverage left him unable to fight back, recalls multiple men assaulting him and distinctly recalls seeing Combs above him, naked, at one point during the assault, his lawsuit said.

  • ‪Kanye West Sued For Allegedly Drugging, Sexually Assaulting Ex-Assistant At Diddy Studio Session‬

    ‪Kanye West Sued For Allegedly Drugging, Sexually Assaulting Ex-Assistant At Diddy Studio Session‬

    Controversial rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) is being sued by a former assistant, who has accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a party. The incident happened at a studio session that Ye co-hosted by Diddy.

    In a new complaint, Lauren Pisciotta who has worked with Ye as his assistant from 2021 to 2022, has accused West of sexually assaulting her.

    In a new lawsuit filed on Oct 8 in Los Angeles County Court, the influencer has revealed horrifying inside details about Ye and Diddy’s party.

    In the filing, Pisciotta alleges that years before she worked with the rapper, she was invited to a studio session in Santa Monica, California. At the party, she said, ”drinks were served to others in attendance, followed by an announcement that everybody had to drink if they wanted to stay.”

    During the part, she allegedly accused the rapper of drugging her. In the complaint, she said that the drink that was served to her at the request of West was “laced with an unidentifiable drug,” and after a few small sips, she started disoriented.

    “As plaintiff began to slip into an altered and heavily impaired state, she felt less in control of her body and speech, and that is where plaintiff’s memories of that night escape her,” the new complaint reads.

    In the complaint, she further alleges that the next day she woke “feeling physically ill and confused”. She was not able to recall what happened to her after she had the drink.

    Pisciotta found out about being physically abused by the rapper years later when she again met the rapper and he brought up the night they first met.

    During the conversation, the rapper told Pisciotta that they “did kind of hook up a little one time,” referring to the part.

    “Up until that very point, right before that very conversation, Plaintiff [Pisciotta] was unaware that she had been subjected to gender violence and sexual battery on that studio night by KANYE WEST a.k.a YE,” the document reads.

    In a new complaint, she has mentioned Sean as the co-host of the event, without accusing the Grammy winner of any serious charges. Sean is currently behind the jail for sex trafficking and racketeering.

    In June, Pisciotta sued the rapper for sexual harassment, breach of contract, and wrongful termination.

    Ye has not reacted to this new complaint yet.

  • Diddy Refuses To Eat Jail Food

    Diddy Refuses To Eat Jail Food

    Sean “Diddy” Combs is reportedly refusing to eat while in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, allegedly due to fears of being poisoned.

    Former inmate Larry Levine, who spoke to the media, suggested the rapper may be paranoid about food safety, speculating that someone could bribe prison staff to harm him.

    “There are people out there that he has things on who have substantial money,” Levine said. “Imagine if someone paid someone off on the inside to poison his food, give him a heart attack, and he dies — no one would really think anything of it.”

    Levine also mentioned other potential reasons for Diddy’s refusal to eat, including the possibility that the music mogul is on a hunger strike or that the food quality itself is to blame.

    “The food is bland, it’s a lot of carbohydrates. It fills you up, but you get sick eating it. There’s mold in a lot of that food. Maybe he got sick from the food, that’s another possibility,” Levine added.

    Since being taken into custody, Combs has reportedly received visits from a dietician, a religious representative, and a mental health physician.

    Levine noted that Combs is under suicide watch, with a mental health specialist checking on him several times a day.

    Combs was arrested following an indictment accusing him of years of coercion, blackmail, and abuse, including forcing female victims and male sex workers into drug-induced sexual performances, referred to as “Freak Offs.”

    He pleaded not guilty to the charges last week, but his request for bail — including a $50 million offer for electronic monitoring was denied.

    Prosecutors have interviewed over 50 victims and witnesses, with more expected to come forward. The Metropolitan Detention Center, known for its harsh conditions, has housed numerous high-profile inmates and is often described as “hell on earth.”

    The center is primarily used for individuals awaiting federal trials or serving short sentences. Despite pleas from Combs’ legal team, his release remains unlikely as the case continues to unfold.

  • Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Charged With Racketeering, Sex Trafficking

    Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Charged With Racketeering, Sex Trafficking

    Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been hit with three federal charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, according to an indictment unsealed on Tuesday.

    The indictment was unsealed after Combs, 54, was arrested in Manhattan by federal agents on Monday night, following a year in which his career was derailed by several lawsuits accusing him of physical and sexual abuse.

    According to the 14-page indictment, Combs turned his business empire into a criminal enterprise in which he and his associates engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor and other crimes.

    Combs threatened and coerced women to “fulfill his sexual desires,” the indictment said.

    Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ lawyer, said on Monday night he was disappointed with the decision to pursue an “unjust prosecution” of the rapper and producer.

    “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 said. “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal.”

    Agnifilo added that Combs voluntarily relocated to New York in anticipation of the charges.

    Combs, who has also been known as P. Diddy and Puff Daddy, was a major figure in hip-hop in the 1990s and 2000s. He founded the label Bad Boy records, and is credited with helping turn rappers and R&B singers such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars.

    His reputation came under fire last November when former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, an R&B singer known as Cassie, accused him in a lawsuit of serial physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape during their decade-long relationship. She agreed to an undisclosed settlement one day after suing, even as Combs denied her allegations.

    LAWSUITS MOUNT

    His legal pressures mounted, and he has faced several civil lawsuits by women and men who accused him of sexual assault and other misconduct. His lawyers have been fighting those cases in court. Federal agents raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, Florida six months ago.

    Singer Dawn Richard, formerly of Danity Kane, last week accused Combs in a lawsuit of sexual assault, battery, sex trafficking, gender discrimination and fraud.
    A Michigan judge this month ordered Combs to pay $100 million to Derrick Lee Smith, who said Combs drugged and sexually assaulted him at a party almost 30 years ago, after Combs failed to show up to defend himself in court. A lawyer for Combs said he would seek to dismiss that judgment.

    Combs has also rejected claims in a February sex trafficking lawsuit by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, who Combs employed as a producer on his 2023 release “The Love Album: Off the Grid.”

    The indictment is not Combs’ first brush with the law. He was acquitted in March 2001 of bribery and weapons charges in a criminal trial stemming from a nightclub shooting that left three people wounded.

  • Rapper Diddy Hit With A Fresh Sexual Assault Suit By Former Model

    Rapper Diddy Hit With A Fresh Sexual Assault Suit By Former Model

    In a fresh complaint filed on Tuesday, former model and MTV’s 1998 Model Mission competition winner Crystal McKinney accused Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexual abuse.

    In the New York complaint, McKinney states that she was “drugged and sexually assaulted” by Combs in 2003 after attending an event in New York City for Men’s Fashion Week.

    At a meal, McKinney, who was 22 years old at the time, allegedly had her first encounter with Combs, who approached her “in a sexually suggestive manner” and instructed her to call him later.

    According to the lawsuit, McKinney “felt confused but hopeful that Combs would fulfil his promises to help her career,” and later that evening, Combs extended an invitation for her to visit his recording studio.

    McKinney believes the marijuana Combs gave her at the studio was “laced” with “a narcotic or other intoxicating substance.” Combs allegedly saw McKinney to be “very intoxicated” and made her follow him while he “physically led” her to the lavatory, according to the lawsuit.

    The complaint states that Combs “began kissing her without her consent” in the lavatory and then “forced her to perform oral sex on him.” McKinney says she felt “more and more woozy and then lost consciousness” during the assault. She subsequently says she woke up in a taxi on her way back to the designer’s apartment where she was working at the time.

    The complaint claims that “as her consciousness returned, Plaintiff realised that Combs had sexually assaulted her.”

    Additionally identified as defendants were Bad Boy Records, Sean John Clothing LLC, and Universal Music Group Inc. The defendants are being sued by McKinney for allegedly breaking the New York Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law.

    The statute of limitations is extended to allow survivors of gender-motivated acts of violence more time to pursue civil actions, and it also “applies to such acts committed by parties who direct, enable, participate in, or conspire in a gender-motivated act of violence,” according to the New York City Council.

    After emerging victorious from MTV’s Model Mission in 1998, McKinney signed a modelling deal with IMG. She modelled in a Tommy Hilfiger fashion campaign and got well-known on a number of MTV shows.

    The lawsuit stated that McKinney “became extremely depressed” after the incident and “experienced alcohol and drug addiction” in an attempt to cope.

    According to the lawsuit, McKinney stopped pursuing a modelling career and is now dealing with mental health issues as a result of the alleged assault. She wants both compensatory and punitive damages in an amount that isn’t defined.

  • Diddy Documentary: Hollywood Producers Race To Release

    Diddy Documentary: Hollywood Producers Race To Release

    Winston Churchill once said an optimist sees an opportunity in every difficulty and top producers seem to thrive on this.

    Music mogul Sean Combs, widely known as P Diddy, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons after he was accused of multiple incidents of sexual assault.

    His ex-girlfriend RnB star Cassie had also accused him of rape and assault but later divulged that they had agreed to resolve the matter amicably.

    “I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support,” said Cassie.

    Diddy, on his part, said: “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love.”

    While this was happening, producers around the globe had their eyes on the musician and are already working on documentaries to detail his topsy-turvy life.

    According to TMZ, work has already begun in Hollywood and the UK as top documentary makers rush to detail all the civil suits and federal raids.

    This was aided by the fact that the raids were on live TV and footage was readily available.

    The producers have already reached out to Diddy’s dancers, ex-security guards and ex-girlfriends to get the inside story about the musician.

    A fortnight ago, Federal authorities conducted raids at the homes of the American rapper and as well as his luxury properties as part of the ongoing sex trafficking investigation.

    Douglas Wigdor, who represents plaintiffs Cassie and Jane Doe in legal actions against Combs, expressed support for law enforcement’s efforts saying; “We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”

    Videos posted by TMZ and Fox 11 captured the intensity of the raids. In one video, federal agents could be seen flying over Combs’ California mansion.

    Another video showed Combs’ sons, Justin Combs (30) and Christian ‘King’ Combs (25), being handcuffed by police and questioned outside the property.

  • History Of Accusations Against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

    History Of Accusations Against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

    A string of sexual assault allegations have been made against Sean “Diddy” Combs, one of the most successful music moguls in the history of rap.

    Four women, including his long-time partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, have filed lawsuits against the musician, accusing him of sexual and physical abuse.

    Producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed a similar suit in February, alleging Combs abused him over a year-long period when he was living on the star’s properties and working on his music.

    In a statement issued last December, Combs defended himself against what he described as “sickening allegations” made by “individuals looking for a quick payday”.

    “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged,” he said, adding he would fight to clear his name.

    However, in March 2024, federal agents raided two houses owned by the star “as part of an ongoing investigation” into sex trafficking.

    His lawyer called the action an “unprecedented ambush” and a “gross overuse of military-level force”, and maintained his client’s innocence.

    Combs – who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love – essentially rewrote the rules of hip-hop in the 1990s, but his career has been punctuated by controversies.

    Here is a timeline of his career and the accusations made against him.

    1969-89: Early life in New York

    Sean John Combs was born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York.

    His mother, Janice, was a teacher’s assistant, while his father Melvin was a former member of the US Air Force who became an associate of the drug-trafficker Frank Lucas, who later inspired the Ridley Scott film American Gangster.

    In 1972, Melvin was fatally shot in his car during a drug transaction after being misidentified as an informant. Combs was just two, although he didn’t learn the circumstances of his father’s death until much later.

    Raised by his mother, he was a flashy kid who loved rap music and played football for the school team.

    As a teenager, he danced in music videos for artists such as Diana Ross and the Fine Young Cannibals.

    Taking a cue from his mother, who worked multiple jobs to support Sean and his sister Keisha, he also worked six separate newspaper delivery routes, before enrolling to study business administration at Howard University.

    Early 1990s: Party plans turn into tragedy

    At university, Combs gained a reputation for throwing lavish parties, some of which attracted more than a thousand guests.

    After booking musicians such as Heavy D and Terry Riley to play at these gigs, he came to the attention of Uptown Records’ founder Andre Harrell, who gave him an internship in New York.

    Combs eventually dropped out of university to work there full-time, guiding the early careers of artists including Mary J Blige and Jodeci.

    However, tragedy struck in 1991, when Combs co-promoted a celebrity basketball game and concert at City College of New York. Nearly 5,000 people showed up to the gymnasium, which could only fit 2,730 people. In the ensuing crush, nine people died and 29 people were injured.

    An inquiry by the New York Mayor’s Office cited Combs for hiring inexperienced security guards. However, the star and his lawyers maintained he was not responsible for security at the event.

    “City College is something I deal with every day of my life,” the musician said in 1998. “But the things that I deal with can in no way measure up to the pain that the families deal with. I just pray for the families and pray for the children who lost their lives every day.”

    No criminal charges were filed over the tragedy, but family members of the people who died sued the promoters, the college and the city, accusing them of negligence.

    The case was settled for $3.8m (£3m), of which Mr. Combs paid $750,000.

    Mid-to-late 1990s: A new beginning

    Getty Images Mary J Blige and Sean Combs
    Combs struck upon the idea of pairing R&B singers like Mary J Blige with the street-tough sounds of hip-hop/Getty Images

    While at Uptown, Combs signed a young Brooklyn rapper called Christopher Wallace – aka Biggie Smalls, or the Notorious B.I.G. – and started work on his debut album.

    But his relationship with Harrell broke down and Combs was fired. He retaliated by setting up his own label, Bad Boy Records, and taking Biggie with him.

    The star’s debut album, Ready To Die, was hailed as an all-time rap classic, selling millions of copies and generating the multi-platinum singles Juicy and Big Poppa.

    Combs quickly expanded the Bad Boy roster, releasing hit albums by Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112 and Total.

    The label’s sound was slick and polished. Its biggest singles lifted chunky samples from well-known hits. The practice was frowned upon by hip-hop purists, but it was catnip to radio programmers.

    1997: Notorious B.I.G. is murdered

    Getty Images The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy (as he was then known) on the set of the Hypnotize music video in 1997
    The Notorious B.I.G. and Puff Daddy (as he was then known) on the set of the Hypnotize music video in 1997/Getty Images

    In March 1997, Biggie Smalls was gunned down in a drive-by shooting at the age of 24.

    The murder has never been solved, but it has consistently been linked to the East-Coast-West-Coast rivalry that consumed rap music in the 1990s and which had previously claimed the life of Tupac Shakur.

    Combs, who had been travelling in the car behind his friend, poured his grief into a song, I’ll Be Missing You, which became one of the biggest songs of 1997.

    The song, based around The Police’s Every Breath You Take, also featured on Combs’ debut album, No Way Out, which sold seven million copies worldwide.

    1999: New York shooting

    By this stage, Bad Boy had become one of the most important labels in rap. Aside from its own releases, artists including Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez were asking Combs to remix their songs, hoping for a dash of hip-hop credibility.

    But there was trouble, too. In May 1999, Combs was arrested on suspicion of assaulting Interscope Records executive Steve Stoute, after a disagreement over a music video. He pleaded guilty to harassment and was sentenced to a one-day anger management class.

    Later that year, he was charged with criminal possession of a weapon when police found two nine-millimetre guns in his car, after an argument in a club turned violent.

    Combs and his then girlfriend Jennifer Lopez were both arrested. Combs was later acquitted of all charges. Lopez was not charged.

    2003: Sued by business partner

    A former president of Bad Boy Entertainment sued Combs in 2003, alleging that his former business partner threatened him with a baseball bat and forced him into signing over his shares in the company.

    In his lawsuit, Kirk Burrowes also says that Combs intimidated Mary J Blige into dropping him as her manager in 2001.

    Combs denied the allegations, calling them “complete fantasy”.

    An appeals court dismissed the case in 2006, ruling that the statute of limitations has expired.

    2005-2018: Relationship with Cassie Ventura

    PA Media Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura
    Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura were in an on-and-off relationship for more than a decade./PA Media

    In 2005, 20-year-old singer Casandra Elizabeth Ventura scored a minor club hit in Germany with her debut single, Me & U.

    After hearing it on a night out, Combs convinces Cassie (as she is known professionally) to join Bad Boy Records for a 10-album deal.

    Her self-titled debut was released in 2008 and its futuristic, space-age R&B proved to be a hit with critics.

    By that stage, Combs and Ventura were in a relationship. But in a civil lawsuit filed in December 2023, she said the mogul had used his position of power to “set the groundwork” for a “manipulative and coercive romantic and sexual relationship”.

    Her lawsuit included multiple graphic descriptions of violent abuse, alleging that Combs “regularly beat and kicked Ms Ventura, leaving black eyes, bruises, and blood”.

    Ventura also alleged sexual abuse and rape, and claimed that many of these incidents were witnessed by Combs’ “tremendously loyal network” who “were not willing to do anything meaningful” to stop the violence.

    Combs strenuously denied the allegations and accused Ventura of trying to extort him. They settled the case a day after it was filed in New York, with Combs’ lawyer saying the settlement was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing”.

    2007-2024: Business ventures

    Music took a back seat after 2007, when Combs signed a deal with British drinks company Diageo to promote the French vodka brand, Cîroc, in the US for a 50-50 profit split.

    His endorsement saw the brand placed in dozens of music videos – including Diddy’s own single “Ciroc Star” – and helped increase sales from 40,000 to 2,000,000 cases per year by 2014.

    Around the same time, he co-founded the media company Revolt, whose TV channels and websites are described as “the unapologetic, authoritative voice of hip-hop culture”.

    Combs’ involvement with both companies came to an end in 2023-24. He had previously sued Diageo, accusing it of neglecting his brand because of race.

    2015: Arrested for fighting football coach

    In 2015, Combs got into a scuffle with his son’s football coach prompted by an argument during training.

    As the row escalated, Combs allegedly threatened an intern with a kettle bell. He was later arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

    The charges were subsequently dropped. A representative for Combs said press accounts of the incident were “wholly inaccurate”.

    2019: Gina Huynh alleges abuse

    The first allegations of abuse to surface against Combs came from his model ex-girlfriend Gina Huynh.

    Although largely unreported at the time, Huynh gave an interview to YouTube personality Tasha K, where she said Combs had been physically abusive and offered her money to get an abortion during their on-off, five-year relationship.

    On one occasion, she alleged that Combs had once “stomped on my stomach really hard – like, took the wind out of my breath”.

    He did not respond to the accusations.

    September 2023: Musical comeback

    Getty Images Sean Combs at the MTV Awards
    The musician won a lifetime achievement award last year, shortly before accusation against him started piling up./Getty Images

    Combs ended an eight-year musical hiatus with the release of his fifth record. Titled The Love Album: Off The Grid, it featured collaborations with The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, 21 Savage and Mary J Blige.

    The release coincided with Combs being named a “Global Icon” at the MTV Awards.

    In November, The Love Album earned the star his first solo nomination at the Grammys, in the best progressive R&B album category.

    However, he pulled out of the ceremony as his legal troubles mounted.

    November 2023: Three lawsuits in the space of one week

    In the same week as Cassie filed (and settled) her lawsuit against Combs, two more women came forward with claims of abuse and assault.

    In a complaint filed in Manhattan, Joi Dickerson-Neal accused the star of drugging and sexually assaulting her when she was a college student in 1991. She also claimed he recorded the attack and distributed the footage without her consent.

    A third woman, Liza Gardner, also filed court papers accusing Combs of coercing her into sex in the early 1990s and then, a couple of days later, choking her so hard that she passed out.

    The lawsuits all came shortly before the expiration of the New York Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily allowed people who said they were sexually abused to file claims, even after the statute of limitations had expired.

    Combs denied all the allegations against him, while his spokesperson called the lawsuits a “money grab”.

    “The claims involving alleged misconduct against Mr Combs from over 30 years ago and filed at the last minute are all completely denied and rejected by him,” they said in a statement.

    “The New York Legislature surely did not intend or expect the Adult Survivors Act to be exploited for improper purposes. The public should be sceptical and not rush to accept these unsubstantiated allegations.”

    December 2023: Underage sex claim

    A fourth woman sued in December, claiming she was “sex trafficked” and “gang raped” by Combs, former Bad Boy Records president Harve Pierre and another man in 2003, when she was 17 years old.

    In court papers, the woman alleged she was given “copious amounts of drugs and alcohol” before the attack and was left in so much pain that she could barely stand or remember how she got home.

    In response, Combs said he “did not do any of the awful things being alleged”, while Pierre said the “disgusting allegations” were “false and a desperate attempt for financial gain”.

    The judge in the case later ruled that the woman, who filed her case anonymously, would have to use her real name if she wanted to proceed.

    December 2023: Diddy’s denial

    On 6 December, Combs responded to the flurry of lawsuits with a statement on his Instagram page.

    “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,” he wrote. “For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy.

    “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”

    February 2024: Accusations of grooming

    Music producer Rodney Jones Jr, who produced nine tracks on The Love Album, sued Combs in February 2024, accusing the star of making unwanted sexual contact and forcing him to hire prostitutes and participate in sex acts with them.

    In court papers filed in New York, Jones also claimed that Combs tried to “groom” him into having sex with another man, telling him it was “a normal practice in the music industry”.

    Combs’ lawyer, Shawn Holley, called the producer “nothing more than a liar” and described his claims as “pure fiction” that can be discredited by “overwhelming, indisputable proof”.

    March 2024: Combs’ properties raided

    Getty Images Aerial photo of home
    Aerial view of raid on Sean “Diddy” Combs home in LA./Getty Images

    One month later, federal agents raided two properties owned by Combs in Los Angeles and Miami. Computers and other devices were confiscated while officers searched his Californian mansion.

    Combs was also stopped at an airport in Miami as he prepared to leave for the Bahamas, according to the New York Times. He is said to have handed over a number of electronic devices and was not detained.

    The Department of Homeland Security said the searches formed “part of an ongoing investigation”, but it was not clear how their inquiries were related to the civil cases against Combs.

    His lawyer called the raids a “witch-hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits” and said his client was innocent.

    -BBC.

  • Sean “Diddy” Combs Says Rapper A Victim Of Witch Hunt Following Raids In His Homes

    Sean “Diddy” Combs Says Rapper A Victim Of Witch Hunt Following Raids In His Homes

    A lawyer for music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs thinks the rapper is being targeted by a “witch hunt” after civil lawsuits accused him of sexual misconduct and federal authorities raided two of his properties.

    On March 26, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it had opened an investigation into hip-hop star Combs and searched his homes in the Miami area and Los Angeles. Aaron Dyer, an attorney for Combs, called the raids “a gross overuse of military-level force.”

    Police raided Sean “Diddy” Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles

    Local television images showed an armoured vehicle and officers carrying rifles outside Combs’ Los Angeles home. Authorities detained some people at the property with their hands bound by zip ties.

    Combs cooperated with authorities, Dyer said, and neither he nor any family members have been arrested or had their travel restricted.

    “This unprecedented ambush – paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence – leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits,” Dyer added.

    The Homeland Security Department has not said what it is investigating about Combs and did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Dyer’s remarks. The agency has broad jurisdiction to probe the illegal movement of people, goods, money, technology and contraband into, out of and throughout the United States, including sex trafficking.

    How it started

    It all started with a civil lawsuit filed in mid-November when the R&B vocalist Cassandra Ventura accused Combs of subjecting her to physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape during a 10-year professional and romantic relationship.

    The lawsuit cited violations of sex trafficking and human trafficking statutes. Ventura and Combs, who have used such monikers as P. Diddy, Puff Daddy and Diddy, settled the case under confidential terms. Representatives for Combs said at the time the settlement was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing”.

    The lawsuit was one of at least four civil complaints in recent months levelling sexual assault allegations against Combs.
    “There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name,” Dyer said.

    Combs, founder of the landmark label Bad Boy Records, is one of the most influential producers and executives in hip-hop and a hugely successful performer, as well as the impresario of his own Sean John clothing line.

  • Diddy: Rapper’s Homes Raided By Feds In Sex Trafficking Probe

    Diddy: Rapper’s Homes Raided By Feds In Sex Trafficking Probe

    Diddy’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami have been raided as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation against the rapper.

    The 54-year-old is facing growing numbers of sexual harassment and rape lawsuits and was not seen as Homeland Security agents descended on his mansions on Monday (25.03.24) afternoon, footage from Fox 11 and TMZ showed.

    It is not yet clear yet whether Diddy, real name Sean Combs, was the target of the investigation.

    At least two men – who are believed to be the rapper’s sons Justin and King Combs – were put in handcuffs at his home in Holmby Hills, LA.

    A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations told TMZ in a statement: “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.

    “We will provide further information as it becomes available.”

    The raid comes amid the mounting lawsuits recently filed against Bad Boy Records founder Diddy including allegations of assault and human trafficking – all of which have been denied by the entertainer.

    In February, he was sued by former male employee Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones, who accused the rapper of sexual assault while working on his 2023 album ‘The Love Album: Off the Grid’.

    The producer and videographer claimed the abuse repeatedly took place from September 2022 to November 2023 and alleged he was forced to perform inappropriate acts with sex workers at Diddy’s request – claiming he once woke up drugged and in bed with his boss.

    Diddy’s attorney Shawn Holley has said “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar” seeking to “shamelessly” win a $30 million lawsuit against his client.

    In November 2023, Diddy’s singer’s ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, 37, known as Cassie, became the first woman to accuse Diddy of rape and abuse – with her case swiftly settled out of court the same month.

    Her lawyer Douglas Wigdor told Page Six after news of Monday’s raids on Diddy’s homes broke: “We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law.

    “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”

    Rapper Diddy.

    Cassie had claimed in her suit Diddy forced her to have sex with male prostitutes as he sat and watched.

    Just weeks after he settled her case, Diddy faced another three additional lawsuits from women claiming he sexually assaulted them.

    One woman alleged she was aged just 17 when Diddy allegedly gang-raped her in 2003.

    A spokesperson for the rapper denied the accusations, telling Page Six some of the allegations were “fabricated” and “nothing but a money grab”.