Authorities name Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs as architect and leader of ‘criminal enterprise’

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One of the most straightforward decisions Sean Combs ever made was calling his record label "Bad Boy."

At 54 years old, Combs—known by various names including Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy, Diddy, and Love—has been involved in much more than just boasting about his lifestyle over the years. A federal indictment revealed on Tuesday claims that he has been the mastermind behind a “criminal enterprise” involved in serious offenses such as arson, kidnapping, forced labor, bribery, obstruction of justice, and sex trafficking.

The last claim made against him, which appeared not in formal federal charges but in a series of serious lawsuits last year, exposed the emerging vulnerabilities in Combs' meticulously maintained image. He firmly rejected any allegations of misconduct. However, these legal challenges were soon accompanied by coordinated searches of his properties on both coasts, part of a discreet federal inquiry. Shortly afterwards, a disturbing video surfaced that depicted Diddy violently attacking his then-girlfriend Cassie, who notably became the highest-profile individual to take legal action against him.

The video served as undeniable evidence that his earlier denials were untrue. Combs made a halfhearted attempt to apologize in a video on Instagram, but mostly kept a low profile, which was unusual for him. He posted a couple of bland, family-themed updates on social media and released occasional comments through his lawyers as he tried to manage his image.

Despite those attempts, the setbacks continued. Howard University took back the honorary degree that he had valued so much. The mayor of New York requested that Combs give back the key to the city. Additionally, Miami Beach decided not to celebrate its yearly Sean Diddy Combs Day anymore.

Now, three years after Combs praised the MeToo movement in a magazine feature from September 2021, and just a year after he accepted the Global Icon Award at the VMAs with a performance of his hit songs, he has been arrested on multiple shocking charges, including serious crimes against women. Authorities apprehended him in the lobby of a luxury hotel in Manhattan, a high-end location in the city that he has been a prominent figure in for years.

On Tuesday, federal prosecutors argued in court for the defendant to be held until the trial. This idea starkly contrasts with Diddy's past, filled with vibrant fashion and his iconic Hamptons White Parties held over Labor Day.

What Diddy is experiencing at the moment is a stark contrast to the smooth career he built for himself. In the past, he managed to escape prison sentences for offenses ranging from having illegal weapons to being linked to deadly crowd situations at concerts. However, the image of Combs presented in the indictment – as someone who "used abuse, threats, and coercion to satisfy his sexual needs, safeguard his image, and hide his actions" – suggests he might find it more difficult to evade the law this time around.

His public reputation started to fade last November when three different women brought lawsuits against Combs within the same week, with some claims going back many years. These legal actions were filed just before the deadline set by New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which allowed a one-year period for individuals to seek legal recourse, no matter when the alleged abuse took place.

One of the most surprising aspects was the accusations brought forth by his ex-partner of ten years, singer Casandra Ventura, who goes by the name Cassie and is nearly 20 years younger than Combs. Their romance was highly publicized for several years, but when they split in 2018, it ignited a whirlwind of media coverage and speculation.

Combs resolved the lawsuit within a day, but not before the shocking accusations made by Cassie came to light. The claims included that Combs had raped her in her own home as she attempted to escape from him. It also stated that he regularly assaulted her—punching, beating, kicking, and stomping on her—causing her severe injuries like bruises, split lips, black eyes, and bleeding. Additionally, it alleged that he exposed her to a life of heavy drinking and drug use, demanding that she obtain illegal prescriptions to feed his own addictions.

However, that was only the beginning. Cassie's lawsuit astonishingly alleges that Combs blew up another rapper's car after finding out that the artist had feelings for Cassie. It also claims he coerced her into sexual acts with male sex workers during episodes he referred to as "freak offs," all while he filmed and masturbated. Furthermore, he insisted that she keep his gun in her purse to unsettle her and to illustrate how threatening he could be.

Even with the agreement reached, Combs rejected any allegations of misconduct mentioned in Cassie's claims and the other lawsuits, but his legal troubles were far from finished.

In February, ex-employee Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones initiated a lawsuit claiming that Combs engaged in sexual harassment and made threats. A few weeks afterwards, federal agents conducted searches at Combs' residences in Los Angeles and Miami. He was not present during the raids, although his sons were at home.

Homeland Security Investigations in New York stated that the raid in March was part of a continuing inquiry, but they didn't provide further details at that moment. The mogul's attorneys described the raids as an excessive application of force typically associated with military operations.

The indictment from Tuesday disclosed some items that law enforcement seized during the raids. These included illegal drugs, three AR-15 rifles with altered serial numbers, ammunition, a drum magazine, and evidence that supports the disturbing claims detailed in Cassie's lawsuit.

The indictment reveals that authorities also found over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant. It claims that Combs inflicted physical, emotional, and verbal abuse on his victims to force them into participating in Freak Offs.

Combs exercised power over his victims using various methods, including physical abuse, false promises of job prospects, offering and threatening to cut off financial help, and other forms of intimidation. He also monitored their locations, dictated how they should look, kept track of their medical information, controlled their living situations, and provided them with drugs.

The day following the raid, law enforcement took into custody a 25-year-old ex-college basketball player named Brendan Paul. He had been mentioned in court documents filed by 'Lil Rod' Jones as a suspected drug runner for the prominent figure.

In May, CNN released surveillance video that it had acquired from March 2016, which depicted Combs pursuing Cassie through a hallway in a Los Angeles hotel before confronting her with punches and kicks near the elevators.

When faced with the proof, Combs eventually issued an apology, describing his actions as “unforgivable” in a post on social media. He stated that he takes "complete responsibility for his actions in the video" and requested “God's mercy and grace.” He also mentioned that he sought professional support and attended therapy and rehab following the incident in 2016.

"It's really tough to think about the most challenging moments in your life, but occasionally it's necessary," he shared in a social media update. "I was in a bad place – I had hit my lowest point – but I won’t offer any justifications. My actions in that video are unacceptable."

Combs had already resigned as chairman of his television company, Revolt, but the disturbing videos were putting an end to some of his other achievements. Just a month after the footage was made public, Howard University – the prestigious historically Black school he had once attended before leaving to follow his music aspirations – took back the honorary degree it had awarded him a decade ago. They also returned the donation he had made and discontinued the scholarship program established in his honor.

Ten years after a humbled Combs proudly accepted his degree on the Howard University graduation stage, surrounded by friends and family, the school released a statement describing his actions in the video as “so fundamentally at odds with Howard University’s core values and principles that he is no longer considered deserving of the institution’s highest honor.”

In the same month, New York City Mayor Eric Adams requested that Combs give back the keys to the city, undoing the recognition he had granted just under a year prior in September 2023. This was around the time when the artist performed at the VMAs and launched his newest studio album.

In June 2024, the mayor and city commission of Miami Beach decided to take back their previous honors by canceling Sean Diddy Combs Day. This recognition had been established eight years prior on October 13 by the former mayor. They concluded that the honor no longer aligned with the city’s core values of safety, community welfare, and respect.

Combs kept a low profile during this time. After the March raid, he was seen looking expressionless near his home in Florida. However, his most famous and controversial moment this year came from that CCTV footage.

Courtroom drawings of Combs facing a New York judge are quickly overshadowing the famous pictures of his flashy rapper life. One of his homes that was searched, a lavish 13-room mansion in Beverly Hills, has been listed for sale at $61.5 million, just a week before he was taken into custody.

Combs is striving for his liberty, not just for his business or his image. His struggle faced a significant setback on Tuesday when the judge refused to grant bail, mandating that the rapper stay in federal detention as he awaits trial on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

Combs' attorney announced plans to challenge the ruling on Wednesday, but there hasn't been any statement from Combs himself, who is currently in custody. Despite his confident attitude, he has previously avoided serving significant jail time. For instance, when he was acquitted of gun and bribery charges in March 2001, Combs appeared noticeably nervous before the verdict was delivered.

Many fans gathered in and around the courtroom during the trial, which was related to a nightclub shooting from 1999. At that time, Combs and Jennifer Lopez were both enjoying immense popularity.

Supporters enthusiastically cheered and celebrated outside the courthouse after his acquittal, shouting his name and urging others to "let him be," as reported by The New York Times at that moment.

However, that was a different time, and the situation was quite distinct, though still serious. Diddy was many years away from facing accusations of running a criminal organization involved in drugging and assaulting women, resulting in injuries that took weeks and months to recover from.

In this instance, he is up against legal charges portraying him as an intellectual criminal who "exploited the Combs Business, along with some of its employees, to perpetrate, enable, and conceal his misconduct and illicit activities. These employees – encompassing security personnel, domestic staff, personal aides, and senior supervisors – along with other close acquaintances, served as intermediaries for Combs, with their actions being supported and enabled by his influence over the Combs enterprise."

According to the indictment, the rapper organized and persisted in a campaign of intimidation towards his victims, even after serious accusations emerged against him last year.

The statement says that Combs, along with other members and partners of the Enterprise, applied pressure on witnesses and victims. This included attempts to bribe them so they would remain quiet and not inform the authorities about what they had encountered or were aware of.

Nevertheless, the inquiry continued, collecting sufficient proof against the organizer that ultimately resulted in his arrest, which now appears to be for an indefinite period.

On Tuesday, Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, emphasized that his client is "an innocent individual who has nothing to conceal."

“Mr. Combs is determined and ready to take this all the way,” Agnifilo stated outside the federal courthouse.

Twenty-three years ago, Combs was enjoying the ongoing success of his album "Bad Boy for Life" and his third studio release, "The Saga Continues."

Maybe both titles hinted at Combs' authenticity and also hinted at what was to come.