Sean Combs, popularly known as “Diddy”, a rap mogul whose career has faced significant setbacks following a series of sex trafficking accusations and assault lawsuits, was arrested by federal agents in Manhattan late Monday, according to a statement from a U.S. federal court.
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, confirmed that the arrest is linked to a sealed indictment filed by his office.
“We plan to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will provide further details at that time,” Williams said, declining to elaborate on the charges.
Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, stated to AFP that Combs had voluntarily relocated to New York in anticipation of the charges.
“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,” Agnifilo said.
Combs is currently facing multiple civil lawsuits accusing him of being a violent sexual predator who allegedly used alcohol and drugs to incapacitate his victims.
In March, federal agents raided Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles during a highly publicized bicoastal operation, signaling an intensifying federal investigation and potential criminal case. The armed raids marked a swift and dramatic fall for the music mogul, who had recently attempted to rebrand himself as “Brother Love.”
Combs’ legal team stated on Monday that he has been “cooperative with this investigation” and is “looking forward to clearing his name in court.”
