Sean “Diddy” Combs will be attending the REVOLT X AT&T 3-Day Los Angeles Summit – Day 1 on October 25, 2019 at the Magic Box in Los Angeles, California.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs used his fame as one of the biggest names in hip-hop to force women to engage in degrading sexual acts, according to an unsealed three federal indictment. part of a decades-long sex trafficking and extortion scheme.
Beginning in 2009, Combs used his vast media empire, including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment, to transport female and male sex workers across state lines to participate in recorded sex performances called “Freak Offs,” which the musician The tycoon would watch these performances and masturbate, prosecutors said.
The 54-year-old rapper and producer was arrested in Manhattan on Monday night and is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnowski at 2:30 pm ET (1830 GMT) on Tuesday. Tarnofsky’s trial. Combs could face decades in prison if convicted of the three felony counts he faces: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation for prostitution.
The charges were filed by the office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, which is seeking to keep Combs in custody pending trial.
Prosecutors said Combs lured women by offering them drugs such as ketamine and ecstasy, as well as promises of financial support, professional support or romantic relationships. The indictment alleges that Combs then used secret recordings of sexual acts as “collateral” to ensure the women’s silence, sometimes displaying weapons to intimidate abuse victims and witnesses.
“The victims did not believe they could refuse Combs without risking their safety or facing more abuse,” Williams said at a news conference.
The indictment does not accuse Combs himself of having direct unwanted sexual contact with the women, although he is accused of assaulting the women by hitting them or throwing objects at them.
Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, did not immediately respond to a request for comment after the indictment was made public, but late Monday expressed disappointment in the decision to prosecute his client “unfairly.”
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, devoted family man and proven philanthropist who has built an empire over the past 30 years and loves his children , and working to uplift the black community,” Agnifilo said Monday night. “He’s an imperfect man, but he’s not a criminal.”
Combs is the highest-profile figure in the music industry to face criminal charges for sexual misconduct since R&B singer R. Kelly. Kelly was convicted in New York in 2021 and Chicago in 2022 on charges including sex trafficking, racketeering and child sex crimes, and was sentenced to a total of 31 years in prison.
Combs, also known as “Puff Daddy” and “Diddy” during his career, founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with helping rappers and R&B singers such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans , Notorious BIG and Usher) are credited with becoming stars of the 1990s and 2000s.
Over the past year, his career and reputation have been damaged. In November, his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, an R&B singer named Cassie, accused him in a lawsuit of one count of sexual misconduct during their decade-long relationship. Serial physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape. Although Combs denies her accusations, she agreed to an undisclosed settlement one day after filing the lawsuit.
Combs has since faced several other civil lawsuits filed by women and men accusing him of sexual assault and other misconduct. His lawyers have been fighting the cases in court. Six months ago, federal agents raided Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, Florida.
“Music Idol”
Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, did not immediately respond to a request for comment after the indictment was made public, but late Monday expressed disappointment in the decision to prosecute his client “unfairly.”
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, devoted family man and proven philanthropist who has built an empire over the past 30 years and loves his children , and working to uplift the black community,” Agnifilo said Monday night. “He’s an imperfect man, but he’s not a criminal.”
Combs is the highest-profile figure in the music industry to face criminal charges for sexual misconduct since R&B singer R. Kelly. Kelly was convicted in New York in 2021 and Chicago in 2022 on charges including sex trafficking, racketeering and child sex crimes, and was sentenced to a total of 31 years in prison.
Combs, also known as “Puff Daddy” and “Diddy” during his career, founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with helping rappers and R&B singers such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans , Notorious BIG and Usher ) are credited with becoming stars in the 1990s and 2000s.
Over the past year, his career and reputation have been damaged. In November, his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, an R&B singer named Cassie, accused him in a lawsuit of one count of sexual misconduct during their decade-long relationship. Serial physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape. Although Combs denies her accusations, she agreed to an undisclosed settlement one day after filing the lawsuit.
Combs has since faced several other civil lawsuits filed by women and men accusing him of sexual assault and other misconduct. His lawyers have been fighting the cases in court. Six months ago, federal agents raided Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami Beach, Florida.
Baby oil, AR-15 rifle
The indictment alleges that Coombs’ employees helped arrange the “weirdness” by booking hotel rooms and purchasing controlled substances and other items used during sex acts.
The indictment said authorities searched Combs’ homes in Miami, Florida and Los Angeles and found drugs and 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricants, as well as AR-15 rifles with defaced serial numbers.
The indictment does not specify how many women are accused of being victims of the scheme.
The charges are not Coombs’ first run-in with the law. In March 2001, he was acquitted in a criminal trial for a nightclub shooting that injured three people.
The civil lawsuits Combs faces include one filed last week by singer Dawn Richard, a former member of Danity Kane, which accuses Combs of sexual assault, battery, sex trafficking, sex discrimination and fraud.
Also this month, a Michigan judge ordered Combs to pay a $100 million default judgment against Derek Lee Smith, who alleged that Combs acted at a party nearly 30 years ago. He was drugged and sexually assaulted. An attorney for Combs said he would seek dismissal.
Combs has also denied allegations made in a sex trafficking lawsuit filed in February by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, whom Combs hired as co-producer for his 2023 release “Love.” Producer of the album: Off the Grid.
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