Diddy Slammed With Racketeering And Sex Trafficking Charges After His Arrest In New York
By Favour Adegoke on September 17, 2024 at 12:00 PM EDT
Updated on September 17, 2024 at 12:02 PM EDT
The charges against Sean "Diddy" Combs have been revealed following the unsealing of his federal indictment.
The rapper was earlier arrested after a federal grand jury indicted him following months of investigation by federal prosecutors.
In the indictment, Sean "Diddy" Combs is charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, which he committed via his criminal organization, The Combs Enterprise.
The Rapper Faces Three Major Crime Charges
On Monday, Diddy was taken into custody in New York following his indictment by a federal grand jury.
The indictment, which was sealed at the time, has now been unsealed and reveals that the rapper is being charged with three major crime charges, namely racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
It also mentioned that Diddy "engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals," per the Daily Mail.
This included striking, punching, and dragging these women, along with other instances of throwing objects at them.
He Allegedly Used A Criminal Organization To Engage In His Crimes
More details from the indictment reveal that the rapper used a criminal organization to perpetrate the crimes he is charged with, as well as other illegal activities, including kidnapping, arson, and bribery.
The organization, known as The Combs Enterprise, also appears to be the channel with which Diddy "arranged" and "directed" an illicit venture called the "Freak Offs."
According to the indictment, the "Freak Offs" were "elaborate and produced sex performances" that included women who were drugged and made to sleep with male prostitutes.
These performances, which could go on for days, were often "electronically recorded," and Diddy "m-sturbated during" these recordings.
The US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, had earlier confirmed the rapper's arrest in a tweet on X (formerly Twitter).
He wrote, "Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY. We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time."
Diddy's Attorney Called His Indictment 'Unjust'
Following his shocking arrest, Diddy's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, released a statement, branding his indictment as "unjust" and claiming that the rapper is "not a criminal."
"We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr Combs by the US Attorney's Office," Agnifilo said, per The Blast.
He continued, "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. 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 lawyer concluded, "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."
Diddy's Indictment Comes After Months Of Investigation
The charges in the indictment stem from months of investigation into the Diddy, which included raids on his residences that led to the discovery of several incriminating videos.
During the raid, several incriminating videos and other evidence were found, which may have helped convince a grand jury to indict him.
While the extent of that evidence remains unclear, the indictment has now confirmed that the authorities seized narcotics and more than a thousand bottles of baby oil and lubricant that could have been used during Diddy's "Freak Offs."
The Music Producer Will Not Plead Guilty To The Charges
As Diddy's legal troubles continue to unfold, he has no intention to plead guilty to the charges against him.
The rapper's lawyer, Agniflilo, confirmed his client's stance and mentioned that Diddy would fight the charges with "all his might."
According to reports, Diddy was taken into custody on Monday night at about 8.30 p.m. somewhere at Park Hyatt, New York, on 57th Street.
The music mogul has reportedly been in New York since last week and came to the city in anticipation of the charges from the federal indictment.
