Federal agents conducted raids on properties associated with rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs on Monday as part of an ongoing investigation, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The searches took place in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, with two properties targeted in Los Angeles and Miami.
While officials did not disclose the specific reasons for the raids or whether they were linked to Mr. Combs, representatives for the hip-hop artist did not provide any comments in response to inquiries from the BBC on Monday.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Combs has faced recent lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct, all of which his attorneys have vehemently denied.
Homeland Security Investigations agents conducted operations on Monday at a sprawling 17,000 square foot mansion in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, where Mr. Combs had previously announced the release of his latest album in September. The property, which is linked to Mr. Combs’ Bad Boy Films production company, is situated in an affluent neighborhood known for housing numerous celebrities and landmarks like the Playboy Mansion.
Two law enforcement officials, speaking to the Associated Press, stated that the raids were linked to an ongoing sex trafficking investigation.
In a lawsuit filed last year in New York federal court, R&B singer Cassie, also known as Casandra Ventura, accused Mr. Combs, whom she had dated from 2005 to 2018, of years of abuse. The lawsuit was later settled between the two parties.
Following the initial lawsuit by Cassie, two additional women and a man have filed lawsuits accusing Mr. Combs of sexual abuse.
Douglas Wigdor, the attorney representing Ms. Ventura and another alleged victim, expressed his clients’ support for the law enforcement actions. In a statement on Monday, Wigdor stated, “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”
Despite the legal challenges, Mr. Combs remains a prominent figure in the hip-hop industry, having founded Bad Boy Records and earned three Grammy awards. Over the past few decades, he has collaborated with renowned artists such as Usher and Mary J Blige.
