Prominent US rapper and media mogul, Sean “Diddy” Combs, has been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering, according to an indictment unsealed Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
The 54-year-old was arrested at the Park Hyatt New York by officers from Homeland Security Investigations.
The charges come amid ongoing legal battles following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.
Diddy has been in the spotlight since November 2023, when several women, including his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, accused him of sexual assault. Ventura’s claims were part of a series of lawsuits filed against the rapper, which have continued to mount over recent months.
In addition to the accusations from women, Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones, a former producer for Combs, also filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, drugging, and threats by the rapper over the course of a year.
Federal authorities have been investigating Combs since at least March when the Department of Homeland Security raided two properties connected to him. In May, a video surfaced showing Combs physically assaulting Ventura in 2016, further intensifying public scrutiny.
While Diddy initially denied the allegations brought forward by Ventura, he later issued a public apology, acknowledging his wrongdoing and expressing remorse for his “inexcusable” actions.
In a separate case, a Michigan inmate was recently awarded $100 million in a default judgment stemming from a sexual assault lawsuit filed against Diddy.
The ongoing legal troubles and the latest federal charges mark a dramatic fall from grace for the once-celebrated music mogul.
