Sean “Diddy” Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) today in connection with a federal sex trafficking investigation, reports The Associated Press. It’s unclear if Diddy was present during the raids while officers and helicopters swarmed his residence. He’s currently facing multiple lawsuits from several accusers who allege that he raped or sexually assaulted them.
“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,” a spokesperson for the department said in a statement. “We will provide further information as it becomes available.”
In November, R&B and pop singer Cassie accused Diddy, her ex-boyfriend, of rape, sexual battery, and sex trafficking, among other claims. She settled her lawsuit with the hip-hop mogul two days later. “I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” Cassie wrote. “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.”
Since then, Diddy has been sued for sexual misconduct by four others. Most recently, a woman identified as Jane Doe filed a lawsuit claiming that Diddy, former Bad Boy Entertainment president Harve Pierre, and an unnamed third person “sex trafficked and gang raped” her in 2003 when she was a 17-year-old high school student. Diddy called the allegations “sickening” and denied doing “any of the awful things being alleged.”
“We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law,” Douglas Wigdor, the lawyer for both Cassie and Jane Doe, said in a statement today. “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”
After Cassie’s case was settled, two other women filed lawsuits against the hip-hop musician and mogul. In one lawsuit, Joi Dickerson-Neal says that in 1991 Diddy drugged her, sexually assaulted her, and filmed the assault without her consent. In the other lawsuit, Liza Gardner claims that Diddy and R&B singer Aaron Hall sexually assaulted her and a friend in the early 1990s. A spokesperson for Diddy has said that the women’s active lawsuits contain “fabricated claims falsely alleging misconduct from over 30 years ago.”
In February, music producer Rodney Jones Jr., also known as Lil Rod, accused Diddy of sexual assault, grooming, and improper payment for his work as a producer on The Love Album: Off the Grid. In his 73-page lawsuit, Jones claims that Diddy grabbed his genitals without consent, forced him to hire prostitutes and participate in sex acts with them, and tried to “groom” him into having sex with another man, with Diddy allegedly telling him that it was “a normal practice in the music industry.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
http://rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741