Sean “Diddy” Combs was recently arrested in New York City. Following a grand jury indictment, the rapper was apprehended by police at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan. While the charges against him are still unclear, Combs was previously under a sex trafficking investigation earlier this year. For more updates about Diddy’s charges, his arrest and the indictment, keep reading.
When Was Diddy Arrested?
Combs was arrested on Monday, September 16. According to NBC News, Diddy wasn’t expecting the arrest in that moment.
Why Was Sean Combs Arrested?
At the time of publication, the grand jury indictment which prompted Diddy’s arrest remains sealed. However, Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, noted that the district is expecting “to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.” Therefore, the charges against Diddy will likely be revealed on Tuesday, September 17.
In response to his client’s arrest, Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, released a statement to multiple outlets calling Combs’ arrest an “unjust prosecution” by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Additionally, Agnifilo claimed that Diddy was anticipating the indictment and “voluntarily” moved to New York to wait for it.
“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,” the statement read. “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal. 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.”
The attorney concluded the statement by noting, “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.”
Was Diddy Taken Into Custody in New York?
According to multiple outlets, Diddy was taken into custody by federal agents in New York at the time of his arrest.
Was Diddy Charged With a Crime?
Since the latest grand jury indictment is still sealed, the charges against the rapper are unknown. However, he was previously accused of sexual assault, battery and multiple other allegations by several people, including his ex Cassie Ventura. Though the two settled out of court, a video surfaced earlier this year containing surveillance footage of Diddy beating and dragging Ventura in 2016.
As a result, Diddy shared an Instagram video admitting that his behavior in the footage was “inexcusable.”
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that. I was f**ked up,” Combs confessed. “I mean, I hit rock bottom — but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”
In March, Homeland Security raided Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami properties. Per NBC News, a source claimed at the time that “three women and a man have been interviewed by federal officials in Manhattan in relation to allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault and the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms.”
Shortly after the raids took place, Combs’ attorney Aaron Dyer called the investigation an “unprecedented ambush — paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence.”
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” Dyer added. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”
If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.