CNN
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Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has confronted a parade of sexual assault lawsuits and a federal human trafficking probe within the final 12 months, has been arrested, the producer’s lawyer tells CNN.
Combs – who has been in New York Metropolis since final week – was arrested Monday on the Park Hyatt Resort on 57th Avenue in Manhattan and brought into custody by Homeland Safety Investigations at roughly 8:15 p.m., a supply conversant in the negotiations tells CNN.
The fees and particulars of the case in opposition to Combs are unclear at the moment.
Negotiations for the Combs’ give up had been ongoing, and the sealed indictment was voted on Monday, in keeping with the supply.
“We’re disenchanted with the choice to pursue what we consider is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace,” Marc Agnifilo, an lawyer for Combs, informed CNN.
Combs’ lawyer stated that the musician has been cooperating with the investigation that led to the indictment and “voluntarily relocated to New York final week in anticipation of those costs.” His crew maintains his innocence, and says he has “nothing to cover.”
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving household man, and confirmed philanthropist who has spent the final 30 years constructing an empire, adoring his youngsters, and dealing to uplift the Black group. He’s an imperfect particular person however is just not legal,” Agnifilo informed CNN.
Agnifolo requested individuals to “please reserve your judgment till you may have all of the details. These are the acts of an harmless man with nothing to cover, and he appears ahead to clearing his identify in court docket.”
Additionally on Monday, Damian Williams, US lawyer for the Southern District of New York, launched the next assertion: “Earlier this night, federal brokers arrested Sean Combs, primarily based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY. We anticipate to maneuver to unseal the indictment within the morning and could have extra to say at the moment.”
Earlier this 12 months, Combs turned the goal of a months-long intercourse trafficking probe by the Homeland Safety Investigations company, which included dramatic searches of the musician’s Los Angeles and Miami houses in March.
Since final November, Combs has been hit with ten lawsuits, 9 straight accusing him of sexual assault. As beforehand reported by CNN, a number of of these accusers had met with federal investigators for questioning as a part of the wide-ranging probe.
CNN completely reported in Could that federal investigators have been making ready to carry accusers of Combs earlier than a federal grand jury for testimony – a big escalation within the authorities’s investigation that signaled the Justice Division was shifting towards doubtlessly looking for an indictment of the rapper and businessman.
Combs has beforehand denied all wrongdoing alleged within the varied lawsuits. Nonetheless, he issued a public apology after CNN completely launched surveillance footage earlier this 12 months that confirmed Combs brutally assaulting his former girlfriend, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, in a Los Angeles resort in March 2016.
An lawyer for 3 of Combs’ accusers – Lil Rod, April Lampros and Grace O’Marcaigh – referred to as the arrest “long-awaited.”
“We depart the legal side of this case within the palms of the individuals and justice system,” lawyer Tyrone Blackburn stated in an announcement Monday night time. “As for the civil circumstances, we await our time for the details to disclose themselves and search the justice our shoppers deserve.”
Blackburn stated he expects extra alleged victims to come back ahead.
“We knew this was coming. The proof could be very clear and it was solely a matter of time. This is a vital step in the direction of justice for all of Mr. Combs’ victims together with my shoppers. Justice will prevail,” Blackburn added.
It is a breaking story and shall be up to date.
CNN’s Kara Scannell and John Miller contributed to this report.