Sean “Diddy” Combs, the influential hip-hop mogul, has been indicted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday.
Diddy, 54, was arrested late Monday in Manhattan, approximately six months after federal authorities conducting a sex trafficking investigation raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami.
The charges come amid a series of lawsuits filed against Combs over the past year, alleging physical and sexual abuse. Diddy has denied many of these allegations. His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, stated outside the courthouse that Combs would plead not guilty and would “fight like hell” to secure his release from custody.
In November, Combs’ former girlfriend, R&B singer Casandra Ventura, known professionally as Cassie, filed a lawsuit accusing him of beatings and rape over several years. The suit was settled within a day. Months later, hotel security footage aired on CNN showed Combs physically assaulting Ventura.
Following the video’s release, Combs issued an apology, saying, “I was disgusted when I did it.” However, he and his attorneys have denied similar allegations made in other lawsuits.
Additional accusations against Diddy include the rape of a 17-year-old two decades ago and forcing a music producer to have sex with prostitutes. April Lampros alleged that Combs subjected her to “terrifying sexual encounters” beginning when she was a college student in 1994.
Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, has faced legal troubles before. In 2001, he was acquitted of charges related to a 1999 Manhattan nightclub shooting that injured three people.
As the case unfolds, it marks a significant turn for Diddy, who was once recognized as one of hip-hop’s most influential figures but has recently become an industry pariah due to the mounting allegations.
apnews.com
