Precious Homeland Security agents stormed multiple properties owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs on Monday amidst a flurry of lawsuits against the hip-hop mogul.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the raids, stating, “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. We will provide further information as it becomes available.”
A spokesperson for HSI declined to disclose how many of Combs’s residences were raided. Combs, known for his homes in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami, faces accusations ranging from physical abuse to sexual assault and sex trafficking.
An anonymous law enforcement official revealed that the searches are linked to a sex-trafficking inquiry. Video clips purportedly from the raid circulated on social media, depicting armored vehicles and officers swarming Combs’s Los Angeles mansion. The footage showed officers entering the garage and detaining individuals, though it remained unclear if arrests were made.
The federal raid comes after a string of allegations against Combs, including a lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend Cassie in November. Cassie accused Combs of subjecting her to a “cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking,” alleging he coerced her into participating in sex parties with male sex workers across various cities.
Following Cassie’s lawsuit, three more women came forward in 2023 with sexual assault claims against Combs, one of whom accused him and former Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Harve Pierre of trafficking her from Detroit to New York City in 2003, where she alleges she was gang-raped at 17.
In February, producer Rodney Jones filed a federal lawsuit against Combs, alleging that Combs supplied drugs to women at parties and possessed illegal firearms.
While Combs settled with Cassie soon after her lawsuit, denying all allegations, he labeled subsequent lawsuits as “a money grab.” Cassie’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, hailed the raid as a step towards accountability, stating, “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible.”
