Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is arrested in New York after federal indictment : NPR

NEW YORK — Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested late Monday in New York, the place he faces a sealed felony indictment, prosecutors introduced late Monday.

Particulars of the fees weren’t instantly introduced by prosecutors, however the hip-hop mogul has confronted a stream of allegations by ladies in current months who accused him of sexual assault.

The U.S. lawyer in Manhattan, Damian Williams, mentioned in an announcement that federal brokers arrested Combs. “We anticipate to maneuver to unseal the indictment within the morning and may have extra to say at the moment.”

Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, issued an announcement saying: “We’re disillusioned with the choice to pursue what we consider is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace.”

He added that Combs had gone to New York final week in anticipation of the fees being introduced.

“He’s an imperfect particular person, however he’s not a felony,” Agnifilo mentioned.

Combs was arrested in a Manhattan lodge foyer and is in federal custody, mentioned an individual acquainted with the arrest who spoke with The Related Press on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed to talk publicly.

The felony expenses are a significant however not surprising takedown of probably the most distinguished producers and most well-known names within the historical past of hip-hop.

The federal investigation of the 58-year-old Combs was revealed when Homeland Safety Investigations brokers served simultaneous search warrants and raided Combs’ mansions in Los Angeles and Miami on March 25.

His protection lawyer Aaron Dyer the day after the raids referred to as them “a gross use of military-level drive,” mentioned the allegations have been “meritless,” and mentioned Combs was “harmless and can proceed to struggle” to clear his title.

Combs, then generally known as Puff Daddy, was on the heart of the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop battles of the Nineties because the associate and producer of the Infamous B.I.G., who was shot and killed in 1997. However like lots of those that survived the period, his public picture had softened with age right into a genteel host of events in Hollywood and the Hamptons, a fashion-forward businessman, and a doting father who spoiled his youngsters, a few of whom misplaced their mom in 2018.

However a distinct picture started rising in November, when his former protege and girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, grew to become the primary of a number of folks to sue him for sexual abuse with tales of a gentle stream of intercourse employees in drug-fueled settings the place a few of these concerned have been coerced or cajoled into intercourse.

In her November lawsuit, Cassie alleged years of abuse, together with beatings and rape. Her swimsuit additionally alleged Combs engaged in intercourse trafficking by “requiring her to have interaction in compelled sexual acts in a number of jurisdictions” and by partaking in “harboring and transportation of Plaintiff for functions of intercourse induced by drive, fraud, or coercion.”

It additionally mentioned he compelled her to assist him visitors male intercourse employees Combs would drive Cassie to have intercourse with whereas he filmed.

The swimsuit was settled settled the next day, however its reverberations would final far longer. Combs misplaced lingering allies, supporters and people reserving judgment when CNN in Could aired a leaked video of him punching Cassie, kicking her and throwing her on the ground in a lodge hallway.

The next day, in his first actual acknowledgement of wrongdoing because the stream of allegations started, Combs posted a social media video apologizing, saying “I used to be disgusted once I did it” and “I am disgusted now.” Cassie’s lawsuit was adopted by not less than a half-dozen others within the ensuing months.

In February, a music producer filed a lawsuit alleging Combs coerced him to solicit prostitutes and pressured him to have intercourse with them.

One other of Combs’ accusers was a girl who mentioned the rap producer raped her 20 years in the past when she was 17.

One other girl who filed a lawsuit, April Lampros, mentioned she was a university scholar in 1994 when she met Combs and a sequence of “terrifying sexual encounters” with Combs and people round him started that lasted for years.

Combs and his attorneys denied almost the entire lawsuits’ allegations.

Whereas authorities didn’t publicly say that the lawsuits set off the felony investigation, Dyer mentioned when the warrants have been served that the case was primarily based on “meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”

The AP doesn’t usually title individuals who say they’ve been sexually abused except they arrive ahead publicly as Cassie and Lampros did.

Because the founding father of Dangerous Boy Data, Combs grew to become probably the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the previous three many years Together with the Infamous B.I.G. he labored with a slew of top-tier artists together with Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Religion Evans and 112.

Combs’ roles in his companies past music — together with profitable private-label spirits, a media firm and the Sean John Style line — took main hits when the allegations arose.

The results have been even higher when the leaked beating video emerged. Howard College lower ties with him, and he returned his key to the town of New York on the request of the mayor.