Homeland Security agents executed searches at the Holmby Hills and Miami mansions owned by hip-hop and liquor mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs on Monday. The searches were part of a federal inquiry into sex trafficking allegations involving Combs, according to law enforcement sources. The 17,000-square-foot mansion in Holmby Hills, where Combs had debuted his last album a year ago, was flooded with Homeland Security Investigations agents who served a search warrant and collected evidence on behalf of the ongoing investigation being conducted by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.
Law enforcement officials familiar with the inquiry stated that Homeland Security Investigations New York, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and local law enforcement partners, carried out the law enforcement actions. The agents were seen detaining two of Combs’ sons on the Holmby Hills property while conducting the search, as captured in footage by FOX11 Los Angeles.
Combs, who transitioned from a hip-hop star to an entrepreneur, has faced sexual assault and sex trafficking allegations over the past year. This raid represents the most serious threat to his affluent lifestyle. Four separate plaintiffs have filed civil lawsuits against Combs, accusing him of rape, sex trafficking a minor, assault, and various other alleged abuses. These allegations have not only put his empire at risk but have also sent shock waves through the music industry.
Combs, aged 54, initially amassed his fortune as a hip-hop producer, artist, and founder of Bad Boy Entertainment, the label that launched the career of the late Notorious B.I.G. He later expanded his ventures to include lucrative fashion and liquor companies, notably Sean John and Cîroc vodka.
Among the plaintiffs, Combs’ former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie, accused him of rape and repeated physical assaults, claiming he forced her to engage in sexual acts with male prostitutes in his presence. Another plaintiff, Joi Dickerson-Neal, alleged that Combs drugged and raped her in 1991, recording the assault and distributing the footage without her consent. Liza Gardner filed a third suit, accusing Combs and Aaron Hall, a singer from the group Guy, of sexually assaulting her. Hall could not be reached for comment. The most recent lawsuit alleges that Combs and former Bad Boy label president Harve Pierre gang-raped and sex-trafficked a 17-year-old girl. Pierre vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “disgusting,” “false,” and a “desperate attempt for financial gain.”
In response to reports of the search warrant issued on Combs, Douglas Wigdor, a lawyer representing Cassie Ventura and another unnamed plaintiff, stated, “We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”
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Did you know that Sean “Diddy” Combs, in addition to his successful music and liquor ventures, is also known for his philanthropy? He has donated millions of dollars to various causes, including education and healthcare initiatives.