This week, federal agents in New York arrested rapper and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs on charges of, among other things, alleged arson, bribery, kidnapping, forced labor, and sex trafficking. The federal indictment comes after Combs has faced months of civil lawsuits alleging sexual crimes, including trafficking, abuse, and rape.
Raids by federal agents on Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami uncovered drugs, high-powered firearms, ammunition, and evidence supporting the claims made in civil lawsuits that Combs oversaw “Freak Offs,” prolonged, allegedly coerced sexual exploits at his properties. Among other findings, the raids reportedly uncovered “more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.”
According to The Independent, Combs’s lawyer described him as “an innocent man with nothing to hide.” Attorney Marc Agnifilo told The Independent in an email, “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, 54, rose to fame in the 1990s as a rapper and music producer. Formerly known as “Puff Daddy” or “P. Diddy,” among other names, he is credited with launching the careers of some of the biggest names in music through his recording label, “Bad Boy Entertainment.” He also launched a successful apparel line, Sean John.
The charges against Combs are the latest revelations to tarnish his public image. Earlier this year, news outlets obtained shocking footage from 2016 hotel video surveillance purportedly showing Combs hitting, kicking, and dragging his then-girlfriend Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura.
In a lawsuit,
