Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been arrested in New York following a string of sexual misconduct allegations filed against him over the past year.
Per a Variety report, the rapper and music mogul was arrested on Monday (September 16) after being indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan. The charges against Diddy have yet to be made public.
In a statement to Variety, Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said: “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.”
The statement continues: “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person but he is not a criminal.”
“To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
NME have reached out to Diddy’s representatives for comment.
Diddy’s arrest comes after a wave of accusations and lawsuits against Combs, beginning in November 2023 when R&B singer and ex Cassie filed a lawsuit against him on allegations of physical and sexual abuse. Diddy denied the claims before the pair settled the lawsuit “to mutual satisfaction” a day after it was filed. Footage of Combs’ attack on Cassie was later released to the public in May, and Diddy issued an apology for his actions at the time.
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A week after Ventura’s original lawsuit filed in November last year, two new allegations were made against Diddy; one woman claimed Combs drugged and sexually assaulted her and the other alleged that Combs and singer-songwriter Aaron Hall took turns raping the plaintiff and her friend in 1990 or 1991 – adding that Diddy turned violent days later. Diddy went online to deny all allegations against him, but Hall hasn’t replied to the accusations.
Earlier this year, producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones sued Combs alleging he sexually assaulted him, had parties where sex workers and underage girls were present, and coerced him to sleep with prostitutes. Diddy replied, saying Jones’ claims were “pure fiction”.
Diddy continues to deny any wrongdoing.
On May 22, he was accused of drugging and assaulting Crystal McKinney, a former model. McKinney accused him of assaulting her at a Men’s Fashion Week event in 2003 by giving her a “powerful” joint and then assaulting her in a bathroom. Diddy did not respond for comment.
A former porn actress also came forward on July 4 to accuse the rapper of sex trafficking. Diddy’s lawyer has denied the claims, maintaining that “Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone.”
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.