Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Arrested Amid Sexual Assault Lawsuits

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been arrested on on unspecified federal charges.

The 54-year-old rapper, who is the subject of a federal investigation and is accused of multiple counts of sexual abuse and human trafficking, all of which he has denied, was arrested at the Park Hyatt hotel in New York.

Marc Agnifilo, who is acting as Diddy’s attorney, told TMZ they were “disappointed” by the arrest of an “innocent man.”

He issued a statement saying, “We are disappointed with the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s decision to prosecute Mr. Combs, which we believe was an unfair trial.”

He added that Diddy “is an imperfect person, but not a criminal. To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.”

“Reserve judgment until you know all the facts. These are the actions of an innocent man who has nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, confirmed the arrest in a statement.

“Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY,” the statement said. The prosecutor added that they plan to release the indictment Tuesday morning, and that they “will have more to say then.”

Serious allegations against Diddy have surfaced in recent months, with police raiding properties he owned in Los Angeles and Miami earlier this year.

Ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023, accusing him of raping and abusing her over a 10-year period – something he denied at the time. It also alleged that the Me & U singer, who was 19 when they met, was “raped in her own home after she tried to leave him” and “endured his violent behavior and disturbed demands for more than a decade.” Two other women came forward with their own allegations, alleging they were abused and assaulted.

Ventura’s lawsuit was settled shortly after the announcement, but other lawsuits are ongoing.

In May, CCTV footage of him attacking Ventura at a hotel was obtained by CNN. Two days after the footage was first published, Combs released a somber video apologizing for his actions.

Ventura, 38, later posted a lengthy statement on her Instagram page, thanking the people who had supported her during a difficult time.

Diddy is also accused of sex trafficking, raping an underage female and attempting to groom a producer, and has vehemently denied all allegations against him. He has been accused of having sex with another man.

The most recent lawsuit against him was filed last week by former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard, who alleged that Combs “manipulated” her into thinking that “abuse and exploitation were necessary for female artists to succeed in the music industry.” She also alleges that she witnessed multiple instances of abuse by the Ventura singer.

The star alleged that she and her Diddy-Dirty Money bandmate Kalenna Harper were threatened by the rap mogul after they saw him assault Ventura. However, she has denied the claims.

Kalenna told TMZ she was not aware of “any conduct that could be considered offensive or unlawful” during her association with the Bad Boy Records founder.

Another plaintiff is April Lampros, who is suing him for sexual assault, battery and emotional distress. She alleges he plied her with alcohol at a bar in 1995 and then raped her in a hotel room.

She also alleged that he forced ecstasy down her throat after meeting his then-girlfriend, the late Kim Porter. He demanded that the two women have sex while he masturbated, after which he allegedly raped her again.

Crystal McKinney has also come forward, accusing the Victory rapper of forcing her to perform sexual acts on him in 2003 after promising her a career boost.

In an earlier statement, Diddy said, “There have been disgusting allegations made against me by individuals looking for a quick payout. Let me be absolutely clear: I have not done any of the horrible things that are being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family, and for the truth.”

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