Sean “Diddy” Combs Arrested In New York City After Grand Jury Indictment – Essence

Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested Monday evening at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan, following an indictment from a grand jury, authorities said. Combs, who has faced multiple sexual assault lawsuits and a federal human trafficking probe over the last year, was taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, CNN reports.

The specific charges against the music mogul remain unclear, but the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, confirmed the arrest in a statement. “Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY,” he said. “We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.”

Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, criticized the decision to pursue charges, calling the prosecution “unjust.” Per the report, Agnifilo said, “We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Sean “Diddy” Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community.”

Agnifilo continued by emphasizing his client’s cooperation with investigators, adding, “To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Combs, 54, has been under intense scrutiny in recent months, and this arrest is the latest in a string of legal challenges he’s faced. The federal investigation includes a sex trafficking probe and a series of sexual assault lawsuits. In one of the most recent cases, former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard filed a lawsuit on September 10, accusing Combs of verbal abuse, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Earlier this year, Homeland Security agents conducted raids at Combs’ properties in Los Angeles and Miami as part of the human trafficking investigation. HSI confirmed the searches in a statement, saying, “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”

Additionally, Combs faced public scrutiny when CNN released a video in May showing him physically attacking his then-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, in 2016. The footage aligned with claims made in a lawsuit Ventura filed in November 2023. Although the lawsuit was settled one day after being filed, it added to the growing list of legal issues confronting the entrepreneur.