Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ faces federal charges in New York, his lawyer says

AP News Staff

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs faces national charges successful New York, his lawyer said precocious Monday.

Details of nan charges weren’t instantly announced by prosecutors, but Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, issued a connection saying: “We are disappointed pinch nan determination to prosecute what we judge is an cruel prosecution of Mr. Combs by nan U.S. Attorney’s Office.”

He added that Combs had gone to New York past week successful anticipation of nan charges being brought.

“He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal,” Agnifilo said.

Criminal charges would beryllium a awesome but not unexpected takedown of 1 of nan astir salient producers and astir celebrated names successful nan history of hip-hop.

The national investigation of nan 58-year-old Combs was revealed erstwhile Homeland Security Investigations agents served simultaneous hunt warrants and raided Combs’ mansions successful Los Angeles and Miami connected March 25.

His defense lawyer Aaron Dyer nan time aft nan raids called them “a gross usage of military-level force,” said nan allegations were “meritless,” and said Combs was “innocent and will proceed to fight” to clear his name.

Combs, past known arsenic Puff Daddy, was astatine nan halfway of nan East Coast-West Coast hip-hop battles of nan 1990s arsenic nan partner and shaper of nan Notorious B.I.G., who was changeable and killed successful 1997. But for illustration galore of those who survived nan era, his nationalist image had softened pinch property into a genteel big of parties successful Hollywood and nan Hamptons, a fashion-forward businessman, and a doting begetter who spoiled his kids, immoderate of whom mislaid their mother successful 2018.

But a different image began emerging successful November, erstwhile his erstwhile protege and girlfriend, nan R&B vocalist Cassie, became nan first of respective group to writer him for intersexual maltreatment pinch stories of a dependable watercourse of activity workers successful drug-fueled settings wherever immoderate of those progressive were coerced aliases cajoled into sex.

In her November lawsuit, Cassie alleged years of abuse, including beatings and rape. Her suit besides alleged Combs engaged successful activity trafficking by “requiring her to prosecute successful forced intersexual acts successful aggregate jurisdictions” and by engaging successful “harboring and proscription of Plaintiff for purposes of activity induced by force, fraud, aliases coercion.” It besides said he compelled her to thief him postulation antheral activity workers Combs would unit Cassie to person activity pinch while he filmed.

The suit was settled settled nan pursuing day, but its reverberations would past acold longer. Combs mislaid lingering allies, supporters and those reserving judgement erstwhile CNN successful May aired a leaked video of him punching Cassie, kicking her and throwing her connected nan level successful a edifice hallway.

The pursuing day, successful his first existent acknowledgement of wrongdoing since nan watercourse of allegations began, Combs posted a societal media video apologizing, saying “I was disgusted erstwhile I did it” and “I’m disgusted now.” Cassie’s suit was followed by astatine slightest a half-dozen others successful nan ensuing months.

In February, a euphony shaper revenge a suit alleging Combs coerced him to solicit prostitutes and pressured him to person activity pinch them.

Another of Combs’ accusers was a female who said nan rap shaper raped her 2 decades agone erstwhile she was 17.

Another female who revenge a lawsuit, April Lampos, said she was a assemblage student successful 1994 erstwhile she met Combs and a bid of “terrifying intersexual encounters” pinch Combs and those astir him began that lasted for years.

Combs and his attorneys denied astir each of nan lawsuits’ allegations.

While authorities did not publically opportunity that nan lawsuits group disconnected nan criminal investigation, Dyer said erstwhile nan warrants were served that nan lawsuit was based connected “meritless accusations made successful civilian lawsuits.”

The AP does not typically sanction group who opportunity they person been sexually abused unless they travel guardant publically arsenic Cassie and Lampros did.

As nan laminitis of Bad Boy Records, Combs became 1 of nan astir influential hip-hop producers and executives of nan past 3 decades Along pinch nan Notorious B.I.G. he worked pinch a slew of top-tier artists including Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112.

Combs’ roles successful his businesses beyond euphony — including lucrative private-label spirits, a media institution and nan Sean John Fashion statement — took awesome hits erstwhile nan allegations arose.

The consequences were moreover greater erstwhile nan leaked beating video emerged. Howard University trim ties pinch him, and he returned his cardinal to nan metropolis of New York astatine nan petition of nan mayor.