In a shocking turn of events, Sean Combs, widely known as Diddy, P. Diddy, and Puff Daddy, finds himself embroiled in a federal sex trafficking investigation. On Monday, law enforcement officials raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami, marking a significant development in the case. This incident adds to a long list of legal troubles for the rapper and hip-hop industry titan, who has faced numerous arrests, assault allegations, and controversies throughout his career.
One of the most notable incidents involving Diddy occurred in 1999 when he and his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, were arrested on weapons and bribery charges. The couple had been partying at Club New York when a confrontation with a man named Matthew “Scar” Allen escalated into a fight, resulting in shots being fired and three clubbers getting injured. Diddy and Lopez were later arrested after being pulled over by the police, who discovered a gun in their car. While Lopez was eventually absolved, Diddy faced charges of criminal possession of an unregistered gun and attempted bribery. He was later acquitted, but his protégé Jamal “Shyne” Barrow, who was also arrested in connection with the incident, was convicted and sentenced to prison.
Diddy’s legal troubles continued in 2015 when he was arrested for allegedly assaulting an assistant UCLA football coach with a kettlebell. However, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office decided not to prosecute, citing no serious injuries and claims of self-defense. In 2017, Diddy faced allegations from his ex-chef, Cindy Rueda, who claimed she was forced to prepare and serve food to Diddy and his guests while they engaged in sexual acts. The lawsuit was settled in 2019.
More recently, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, accused him of rape and abuse in November 2023. Ventura alleged a pattern of abuse and control, including being forced to have sex with male prostitutes while Diddy filmed them, physical abuse, and drug supply. Diddy’s attorney denied the accusations, and the case was swiftly settled out of court.
Following the settlement with Ventura, Diddy faced additional lawsuits from women accusing him of sexual assault. One anonymous woman claimed that Diddy and singer Aaron Hall raped her and a friend in 1990 or 1991. Diddy’s spokesperson dismissed the claims as fabricated.
In the latest development, federal authorities raided Diddy’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami as part of a sex trafficking investigation. The raids were led by Homeland Security Investigations’ Human Trafficking Task Force, based on a search warrant issued by the Southern District of New York. Diddy’s sons, Justin and King Combs, were seen cuffed by officers, although it remains unclear if they were taken into custody. Sources indicate that at least four Jane Does and one John Doe have been interviewed by New York prosecutors in connection to the sex trafficking allegations and a RICO case.
