American rapper-producer Diddy in federal custody, TMZ reports

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal woes just won’t stop. 

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The American rapper and producer who rose to fame alongside the late Notorious B.I.G. is reportedly in federal custody, according to TMZ, after being taken on Monday night to an FBI field office in Manhattan, N.Y. 

TMZ reported the arrest is connected to an ongoing criminal investigation into alleged sex trafficking and other offences that resulted in search warrants being executed at Combs’s homes in Beverly Hills, Calif., and Miami. 

“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” lawyer Marc Agnifilo told TMZ. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children and working to uplift the Black community. 

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“He is an imperfect person but is not criminal. To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but co-operative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.” 

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The arrest came days after another lawsuit was filed against Combs, citing psychological and physical abuse that singer Dawn Richard alleged she was subjected to as he helped launch her career. 

Richard, who appeared on the MTV reality show Making the Band, joined others in accusing the music mogul of subjecting those around him to an explosive temper, violent threats, and sexually charged and drug-fuelled environments as they tried to follow his orders. 

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Earlier this year, he admitted to beating his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a hotel hallway in 2016 after CNN released video of the attack, before apologizing and saying his actions were “inexcusable.” 

That was after federal authorities raided his homes in Miami and Los Angeles as part of a sex-trafficking probe in the wake of several other sexual assault lawsuits filed against Combs. 

It was not clear at the time if Combs was the subject of the investigation, with a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan declining to comment about the probe to The Associated Press. 

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