Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
- Author, Christal Hayes
- Role, BBC News, Los Angeles
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Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs wey dey in di middle of controversy don dey arrested for New York City on federal charges wey never clear yet, according to federal authorities to BBC US partner CBS.
Di arrest for Manhattan happun afta raids on two of im properties for Los Angeles and Miami for March as part of one “ongoing investigation” into sex trafficking by authorities.
Mr Combs lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, say dem dey “disappointed” by di arrest and im client na “innocent man”.
Di musician don face series of allegations from sexual assault to abuse, including by im ex-partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. E don deny all di claims against am.
Im arrest dey in connection with ongoing investigation by US homeland security officials, multiple law enforcement sources tell CBS.
US Lawyer for di Southern District of New York Damian Williams confam di arrest in a statement on Monday night.
“Earlier dis evening, federal agents arrest Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by di SDNY,” di prosecutor tok.
E say di office plan to unseal di indictment on Tuesday morning and we “go get more to say at dat time”.
Combs dey face a number of civil lawsuits, including allegations say e rape one underage girl and try to “groom” a producer and force am to have sex with anoda man.
Im lawyer tok on Monday night say Mr Combs dey look forward to “clear im name for court”.
“We dey disappointed with di decision to pursue wetin we believe say na unjust prosecution,” Mr Agnifilo tok inside written statement to BBC.
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs na music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist wey don spend di last 30 years building an empire, adoring im children, and working to uplift di black community.”
Di rapper legal problems begin for November 2023 wen Ms Ventura file her lawsuit.
Two oda women file lawsuits dat same week alleging abuse and assault – including one wey say Mr Combs choke her for so long and she pass out.
E deny all di allegations at di time and a spokesperson for di rapper call di lawsuits a “money grab”.
Den for December, anoda civil lawsuit allege say one woman bin dey “sex trafficked” by Mr Combs and two oda men wen she be 17 years old.
For February dis year, new accusations come out for one civil lawsuit wey im former producer Rodney Jones Jr, file say Mr Combs make unwanted sexual advances and try to “groom” am into having sex with odas.
Mr Combs deny di allegations but one month later, im properties bin dey raided. Dem bin stop di musician for airport for Miami as e bin dey prepare to comot for di Bahamas and dem hand over im electronics to authorities.
Many of di lawsuits come shortly before di expiration of di New York Adult Survivors Act, wey temporarily allow pipo wey say dem bin dey sexually abused to file claims, even afta di statute of limitations don expire.
For May, CCTV footage wey CNN post appear to show di rap mogul attacking and beating Ms Ventura, tori wey dey her civil suit.
Mr Combs – wey also dey go by di names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love – na one of rap most successful moguls.