Feds Search Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ L.A. And Miami Homes
On Monday, various news sources reported that federal investigators combed through rapper and music producer Sean "Diddy" Combs' properties in Florida and California as part of a federal inquiry into sex trafficking. While Combs has not been charged with any crimes, he has been facing escalating legal issues regarding accusations of sexual abuse, rape, and trafficking.
On Monday, there were reports that federal agents conducted searches in California, Florida, and New York at the residences of Sean "Diddy" Combs.
Agents from the Federal Homeland Security Investigations, along with Miami and Los Angeles agents, supported the raids that took place on Monday. Local law enforcement also joined in the operation, according to HSI's statement to Forbes.
News videos from Miami and Los Angeles seem to show federal officers entering the residences of Combs located in Florida and southern California on Monday evening.
The HSI carried out searches as part of a continuous inquiry, but did not disclose additional information regarding the searches or the investigation.
According to reports, there was a police operation in California that occurred in the wealthy Holmby Hills area. This location is where Combs, who was previously called Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, bought a house for a whopping $40 million back in 2014.
Forbes has contacted the Department of Homeland Security, the Homeland Security Investigations department, and the FBI's Los Angeles headquarters to get confirmation. They've also contacted Combs' representatives at his company, Combs Global, as well as his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman.
"Key Things To Look Out For"
According to undisclosed sources cited by the Associated Press and NBC News, there are ongoing searches related to an investigation into sex trafficking and other accusations. It's important to note that Diddy has not been formally accused or charged by federal prosecutors for any crime. The Los Angeles Times reported that search agents were executing a warrant related to a federal investigation in New York's Southern District. At this time, it's unclear if Diddy wasn't the target of the investigation. The District Attorney's Office in the Southern District of New York declined to make a statement about the matter to Forbes.
Combs has been accused in several civil lawsuits for engaging in sexual misconduct or trafficking over the course of a few months. One of these accusations includes rape, sexual assault, and trafficking, and was filed under an anonymous plaintiff named Jane Doe in December 2019 in New York's federal court. Combs strongly denied the allegations and mentioned that there is no truth to any of them. The lawsuit, which has his music company, Bad Boy Entertainment, and former president of Bad Boy Records, Harve Pierre, as co-defendants, claimed that Combs, Pierre, and another person gang-raped the plaintiff in 2003 when she was just 17 years old. They further alleged that they flew the plaintiff from Detroit to New York City via a private jet. Another $30 million lawsuit was filed against the three-time Grammy Award winner by singer Casandra Ventura, accusing him of assaulting, trafficking, and raping her. Although it was settled for an undisclosed amount, it confirms his involvement in such activities. A third plaintiff named Joi Dickerson-Neal also submitted a complaint, asserting that Combs forced her to take drugs before sexually assaulting her in 1991. Combs firmly rejected these allegations as well as those stated in a fourth lawsuit that came from another anonymous plaintiff, where they explained that Combs, together with Aaron Hall, sexually assaulted them in the 1990s.
Additional news from Forbes reports that Sean Combs has been accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old in the latest legal case. This update comes from the writing of Brian Bushard.
