Music star Sean Combs is accused of coercing women into having sex for decades. He was arrested in New York on Monday, but is innocent, says his lawyer.
The arrested US rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs is accused of human trafficking for sex and organized crime. The indictment states that Combs abused, threatened and coerced women for decades to fulfill his sexual desires and then to remain silent in order to protect his reputation. He ran a “criminal enterprise” to conceal his actions and relied on his employees to support him, the indictment states. Combs will plead “not guilty,” his lawyer Marc Agnifilo told media representatives on Tuesday morning when he entered the court before the indictment was announced.
The 54-year-old was arrested on Monday evening (local time), according to a statement from the New York prosecutor’s office. He was taken from a hotel in Manhattan, reported the television station CNN. Around six months ago, officials searched Combs’ houses in Miami and Los Angeles because of the allegations.
Lawyers defend Combs
In a statement made available to the German Press Agency, Combs’ lawyer spoke of an “unjust” prosecution by the US prosecutor. Combs cooperated with the authorities and voluntarily went to New York in view of the expected charges. Agnifilo described his client as an “innocent man” who was looking forward to clearing his name in court. He also described Combs as a music icon, businessman and “loving family man”. He is a human being with mistakes, but not a criminal.
Allegations against Combs
Since last year, there have been several civil suits against Combs (“Bad Boy for Life”, “I’ll Be Missing You”) for rape and abuse. In March, raids in Los Angeles and Miami made headlines. US investigators searched the rapper’s houses there.
In May, CNN released a video that allegedly showed Combs attacking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel in 2016. The rapper then publicly apologized.
In a civil lawsuit filed in 2023, the singer accused the musician of, among other things, sexual abuse, rape, intimidation and physical violence during their long-term relationship. There was no trial, but a settlement. Combs denied the allegations at the time.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
