He has faced multiple accusations of sexual abuse and physical violence in recent months
Hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been arrested in New York City on unspecified federal charges.
The arrest took place in Manhattan overnight and comes after two of the rapper’s properties in Los Angeles and Miami were raided in March.
This was as part of an “ongoing investigation” into sex trafficking by authorities.
Over the last year, Combs has faced a number of allegations, including of sexual assault and abuse. He has denied all of the claims, some of which have come from his ex-partner Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura.
Law enforcement sources told CBS the New York City arrest was made in connection with an ongoing investigation by US homeland security officials.
In a statement on Monday night, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said: “Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY.”
He said police “will have more to say” on Tuesday morning once the indictment is unsealed.
Combs’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said they were “disappointed” by the arrest and that his client was “innocent”.
The musician is facing a number of civil lawsuits over accusations of raping an underage girl, grooming, sex trafficking, abuse and assault.
This started in November 2023 when Ventura filed a lawsuit against him accusing him of rape and abuse during their relationship. She reached a settlement with him the following day, but that same week, two more women filed lawsuits alleging abuse and assault.
In December, another civil lawsuit claimed a woman had been “sex trafficked” by the music mogul and two other men when she was 17 years old.
And earlier this year, Combs’ former producer Rodney Jones Jr. accused him of making unwanted sexual advances and trying to “groom” him into having sex with others.
Combs denies all the allegations.
In May, he apologised for a video aired by CNN which appeared to show him attacking Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.
In a video on Instagram, he said he took full responsibility for his “inexcusable” actions in the clip.
