Diddy faces justice: rapper arrested in New York on sexual assault charges

Sean Combs, better known as Diddy, was arrested in Manhattan on Monday evening (September 16), the New York courts announced. The famous rapper is the subject of several complaints of sexual assault. District Attorney Damian Williams said the exact charges would be made public on Tuesday morning.

Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said in a statement sent to AFP that his client was in New York of his own accord, having recently moved to the city. The defense team said it was “disappointed by the decision of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue what they believe are unwarranted charges” against Mr. Combs. Diddy, 54, has been accused by several women of predatory behavior, using alcohol and drugs to manipulate them into submission.

Nine complaints filed against Diddy

The accusations against the rapper began in July, when former X-rated actress Adria English filed a sexual assault complaint. She claims to have been exploited by Diddy at parties in the Hamptons and Florida, between 2004 and 2009, where he allegedly used her “as a sexual pawn to satisfy others for financial gain”. Since November 2023, a total of nine complaints have been filed against the artist.

One of the most high-profile complaints comes from his ex-girlfriend, singer “Cassie” Ventura, who accuses him of “violent” and “deviant” behavior during their ten-year relationship. A video from 2016 shows Diddy violently attacking her. The case was settled in a confidential agreement. To this day, Sean Combs continues to strongly deny all accusations against him.

P. Diddy at the heart of new accusations: serious charges in the pipeline

According to the New York Times, the indictment against rapper P. Diddy has not yet been made public, but he is expected to face racketeering and sex trafficking charges.

Multiple accusations of rape

In a statement to media outlet TMZ, P. Diddy’s lawyer explained that his client had “voluntarily relocated” to New York last week, in anticipation of the impending charges.

Defending the rapper’s image, the lawyer insisted that his client is much more than a controversial celebrity: “He is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, devoted father and philanthropist, who has devoted the last 30 years to building an empire, lovingly raising his children and working for the well-being of the black community.”

Although he made music history with three Grammy Awards in 1998 and 2004, Sean Combs is now better known for the court cases surrounding him, including several rape claims.