Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs arrested in New York, his attorney tells CNN
Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has been the subject of multiple sexual assault lawsuits and a federal human trafficking investigation over the past year, has been arrested, his attorney confirmed to CNN.
Combs, who has been in New York City since last week, was arrested Monday evening at the Park Hyatt Hotel on 57th Street in Manhattan. According to a source familiar with the situation, Homeland Security Investigations took him into custody around 8:15 p.m.
Details of the charges against Combs remain unclear.
The source also revealed that discussions regarding Combs' voluntary surrender had been underway, and a sealed indictment was issued on Monday.
“We are disappointed by the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Combs' attorney, Marc Agnifilo, in a statement to CNN.
Combs' legal team stated that he has been cooperating with the investigation leading up to the indictment and "voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges." They continue to assert his innocence, insisting he has "nothing to hide."
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, a self-made entrepreneur, a devoted family man, and a dedicated philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building his empire, cherishing his children, and supporting the Black community. While he is not without flaws, he is not a criminal,” Combs' attorney, Marc Agnifilo, told CNN.
Agnifilo urged the public to “reserve judgment until all the facts are known. These are the actions of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
On Monday, Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, released a statement saying, “Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY. We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will provide further details at that time.”
Earlier this year, Combs became the focus of a lengthy sex trafficking investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, which involved extensive searches of his Los Angeles and Miami homes in March.
Since last November, Sean “Diddy” Combs has faced ten lawsuits, nine of which accuse him of sexual assault. Several of the accusers have met with federal investigators as part of a broad investigation, according to previous CNN reports.
In May, CNN exclusively revealed that federal investigators were preparing to bring Combs’ accusers before a grand jury, marking a significant step in the Justice Department's investigation and indicating the potential for an indictment against the music mogul.
Combs has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection to the lawsuits. However, after CNN released surveillance footage earlier this year showing Combs violently assaulting his former girlfriend, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, in a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016, he issued a public apology.
Tyrone Blackburn, the attorney representing three of Combs’ accusers—Lil Rod, April Lampros, and Grace O’Marcaigh—called the arrest "long-awaited."
“We entrust the criminal case to the people and the justice system,” Blackburn said in a statement Monday night. “For the civil cases, we await the moment when the facts will emerge, and justice can be sought for our clients.”
Blackburn added that more victims are expected to come forward.
“We saw this coming. The evidence is undeniable, and it was only a matter of time. This is a crucial step toward justice for all of Mr. Combs’ victims, including my clients. Justice will prevail,” he said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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