Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security have conducted raids on two properties owned by renowned hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs. The searches took place at his residences in Los Angeles and Miami, as confirmed by officials from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The investigation, led by HSI agents in New York, follows a lawsuit filed against Combs last year by his former girlfriend, Cassandra Ventura, accusing him of sex trafficking.
While the nature of the investigation has not been disclosed, HSI has the authority to probe various illegal activities, including sex trafficking, the movement of contraband, money, goods, and technology. Ventura’s lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, alleged physical abuse, sexual slavery, and rape during her ten-year professional and romantic relationship with Combs. The lawsuit cited violations of sex trafficking and human trafficking statutes under federal, New York state, and California laws.
Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, Combs and Ventura announced that they had reached a confidential settlement. However, this legal action opened the door for other plaintiffs to come forward, accusing Combs of sexual assault and rape. In December, Combs denied the latest civil complaint, which alleged his involvement in the gang rape of a teenager he had arranged to fly from Detroit to New York two decades ago.
The raids on Combs’s properties were captured by aerial video footage from Los Angeles, showing HSI agents and other law enforcement authorities searching his estate in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood. Several individuals were reportedly detained outside the residence, although it remains unclear if any arrests were made. Additionally, federal authorities executed a search warrant at Combs’s Miami-area home on Star Island, with officers seen entering and exiting the property while carrying a box of materials.
