Diddy ran his business empire as a “criminal enterprise,” directing employees to entice and coerce women into sexual acts and cover up the crimes, according to a newly released indictment.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in New York on the evening of September 16 after being indicted by a grand jury. The arrest comes about six months after federal authorities raided Diddy’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami as part of an investigation into sex trafficking allegations.
Diddy, 54, pleaded not guilty when he appeared in court on September 17. The singer asked to be released on $50 million bail pending trial and to wear a GPS monitor, restricting his travel to New York and Miami. However, a judge denied Diddy’s request for bail.
For decades, Diddy boasted of building a multimillion-dollar business empire, but federal prosecutors say he ran it as a “criminal enterprise” that engaged in and covered up sex trafficking, forced labor and bribery, according to a 14-page indictment unsealed on Sept. 17.
The indictment accuses Diddy of “conspiring to obtain illegal proceeds” by “engaging in a persistent pattern of abuse against women and other individuals” since 2008.
“As part of this pattern of abuse, Diddy enticed women to engage in sexual activity that was staged with male prostitutes,” the indictment says. “At times, Diddy, and others acting at his direction, arranged for women and prostitutes to be flown to Diddy’s address.”
Much of the action took place at the rap mogul’s luxury homes in New York, Los Angeles and two mansions on Star Island in Miami Beach.
Diddy’s Los Angeles mansion. Photo: MEGA
Prosecutors say Diddy lured women into having sex with male prostitutes by controlling their careers, luring them with financial support and threatening them with violence. Diddy is also charged with sex trafficking involving an unnamed victim.
The indictment says the recruited women were forced to participate in “horror” sex shows directed by Diddy, which were often videotaped. Diddy’s agents would arrange meetings between him and women and prostitutes, often across state lines, and would provide controlled substances to make the women “docile and compliant.” Those loyal to him would benefit from his business ventures.
In raids on Diddy’s homes in Star Island and Los Angeles, agents seized a variety of items, including drugs and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant. They also found three AR-15s with scratched serial numbers and a magazine.
According to the indictment, in 2023, after the allegations against Diddy gained more attention due to the growing number of lawsuits, the mogul and his employees attempted to bribe people to keep quiet, even going so far as to hunt down victims and threaten them with tapes.
The rap mogul has been hit with at least eight civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse in the past year. Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, was the catalyst for the series of lawsuits. The singer accused Diddy of raping her and forcing her to have sex with male prostitutes throughout their decades-long relationship. Diddy settled the lawsuit privately shortly afterward.
Diddy’s legal troubles came to a head in April when music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones sued Diddy for groping and forcing him to perform sex acts with prostitutes. Jones also said he received orders to recruit those prostitutes from a strip club in Miami, and bring them back to Diddy’s home on Star Island.
Diddy at an event in Las Vegas in 2022. Photo: Cover Media
Diddy, whose real name is Sean Combs, founded Bad Boy Records in 1993, helping to make hip hop a global phenomenon. The rapper, who goes by various stage names including Puff Daddy and P Diddy, has signed and produced music with the likes of Usher, Lil’ Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. He has won three Grammy Awards.
Over the decades, Diddy has amassed a huge fortune, particularly through his liquor business. In 2022, Diddy’s net worth was estimated at $1 billion, according to Forbes.