Reuters
Published Mar 25, 2024 07:02PM ET
Updated Mar 26, 2024 12:46AM ET
By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. Department of Homeland Security agents have opened an investigation of hip-hop star Sean "Diddy" Combs, searching his properties in Los Angeles and the Miami area, agency officials said on Monday.
The inquiry was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in New York, where a lawsuit was filed against Combs by a former girlfriend in federal court in November accusing him of engaging in sex trafficking.
Combs, 54, has said that he is innocent and that his accusers were seeking "a quick payday." His New York-based lawyer, Ben Brafman, did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.
Television stations in Los Angeles carried aerial video footage showing HSI agents and other law enforcement authorities raiding Combs' lavish estate in the city's upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood.
Los Angeles City News Service reported several people were detained outside the home but it was unclear whether any arrests were made.
Local news outlets reported that federal authorities also executed a search warrant at the rap mogul's Miami-area home. Reuters footage showed officers going in and out of his property on Miami Beach's Star Island, with agents seen carrying a box of material from the home.
Combs' whereabouts during the raids were not known.
HSI spokespersons, responding to a Reuters query, said: "Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners."
The statement did not elaborate on the nature of the investigation. HSI has broad jurisdiction to investigate the illegal movement of people, goods, money, technology and contraband into, out of and throughout the United States, including sex trafficking.
R&B vocalist Cassandra Ventura sued Combs in federal court in Manhattan in mid-November, accusing him of subjecting her to physical abuse, sexual slavery and rape during a 10-year professional and romantic relationship.
One of the central allegations of Ventura's suit was that Combs forced her to engage in sex acts with male prostitutes he hired while he watched and filmed the encounters.
The lawsuit cited violations of sex trafficking and human trafficking statutes under federal, New York and California laws.
Ventura and Combs, who has used such monikers as P. Diddy, Puff Daddy and Diddy, announced the next day they had settled the case under confidential terms.
Brafman, said at the time that the settlement was "in no way an admission of wrongdoing" and that his client maintained his "flat-out denial" of Ventura's claims.
Ventura's lawsuit was one of at least four civil complaints in recent months leveling sexual assault allegations against Combs.
In December, in response to the latest civil complaint, which accused him of taking part in the gang rape of a teenager that he arranged to fly from Detroit to New York 20 years ago, Combs issued a statement denying all the allegations as fabrications by people seeking money.
Combs, founder of the landmark label Bad Boy Records, is one of the most influential producers and executives in hip-hop and a hugely successful performer, as well as the impresario of his own Sean John clothing line.
(This story has been refiled to fix a typo in paragraph 5)
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.