LOS ANGELES — Sean “Diddy” Combs is a topic of a federal investigation amid a wave of lawsuits filed in opposition to the rap music mogul since November, a supply accustomed to the matter informed NBC Information on Monday.
Three girls and a person have been interviewed by federal officers in Manhattan in relation to allegations of intercourse trafficking, sexual assault, and the solicitation and distribution of unlawful narcotics and firearms, the supply accustomed to the investigation stated. Interviews with three different topics are additionally scheduled, the supply stated.
4 legislation enforcement sources informed NBC Information that federal brokers with Homeland Safety Investigations on Monday executed search warrants on the Los Angeles and Miami properties belonging to Combs. The sources stated the warrant is out of the Southern District of New York.
HSI confirmed in a press release that it “executed legislation enforcement actions” in New York as a part of an ongoing investigation, together with groups in Los Angeles and Miami.
Homeland Safety officers seized telephones from Combs in Miami earlier than he was scheduled to depart for a visit to the Bahamas, in line with three legislation enforcement sources accustomed to the warrant service. Combs was within the Miami space when authorities executed the searches, sources stated. It’s not clear if Combs made the journey as deliberate.
Representatives for Combs, 54, didn’t instantly reply to NBC Information’ request for remark.
Information of a federal investigation comes after public scrutiny of Combs’ conduct after his former romantic associate, Cassie, accused him of bodily and sexually abusing her for years. She made the allegations in a lawsuit filed in New York beneath the New York Grownup Survivors Act, which supplied a one-year window for grownup victims of sexual assault to come back ahead with civil claims no matter statute of limitations.
Cassie, whose full title is Casandra Ventura, settled with Combs on Nov. 17, the day after it was filed on phrases that haven’t been disclosed.
Since then, three different girls have come ahead with lawsuits within the Southern District of New York alleging that they have been sexually assaulted by Combs. Two of the ladies alleged they have been youngsters on the time of the assaults.
Douglas Wigdor, who represents Ventura and a Jane Doe who filed go well with, stated in a press release that this was hopefully the start of a course of that “will maintain Mr. Combs liable for his wicked conduct.”
“We’ll all the time help legislation enforcement when it seeks to prosecute people who have violated the legislation,” Wigdor stated.
An legal professional for Joi Dickerson-Neal, one in all Combs’ accusers, declined to remark to NBC Information.
Combs has denied every of the sexual assault allegations, calling them “sickening.”
A producer who labored for Combs between September 2022 and November 2023 filed a lawsuit in February alleging that Combs sexually harassed, drugged and threatened him greater than a 12 months. The previous worker, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, additionally alleged that he had video and audio proof of Combs, his employees and others “participating in severe criminality.”
Jones’ legal professional, Tyrone Blackburn, additionally represents Combs’ accuser Liza Gardner. Blackburn stated Monday that the federal investigation won’t “stop nor delay my purchasers’ pending and forthcoming actions for justice and backbone from the Combs RICO Enterprise.”
Shawn Holley, an legal professional for Combs, denied Jones’ allegations and stated that Combs’ workforce has “overwhelming, indeniable proof that his claims are full lies.”
Combs has had quite a few authorized points previously, however has not often confronted prison fees.
In 1999, Combs pleaded responsible to assaulting a document govt and was ordered to sooner or later of anger administration. That very same 12 months, Combs was accused of prison possession of a weapon after a capturing at a New York nightclub.
Witnesses informed legislation enforcement they noticed Combs with a firearm on the membership, nevertheless it was rapper Shyne, actual title Moses Barrow, who witnesses stated fired into the group. Combs was pulled over by police in a car with then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, and a gun was discovered within the automobile. Combs was acquitted of weapons and bribery fees whereas Shyne was discovered responsible of the membership capturing at trial.
Since Ventura’s go well with and others have come ahead accusing Combs of assault, the music mogul has been the middle of scrutiny. He stepped down from his place as chairman of media community Revolt and Hulu pulled again from a deliberate actuality collection centered on his household.
Diana Dasrath and Andrew Blankstein reported from Los Angeles, and Doha Madani and Jonathan Dienst from New York.