Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested by federal agents on Monday night at a Manhattan hotel in New York, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York.
A source familiar with the situation described Combs as being taken by surprise during the arrest. Another individual with knowledge of the investigation stated that Combs had been staying at the hotel for several weeks.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams confirmed in a statement that on Monday evening, federal agents had arrested Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the Southern District of New York.
“We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time,” Williams said.
Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo expressed disappointment in a statement. He said Combs, 54, had been cooperative with the investigation and “voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.”
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community,” the statement said. “He is an imperfect person but he is not a criminal.”
“These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court,” it added.
It was not immediately clear on what charges Combs, the rapper-turned-music mogul, was arrested.
Combs has faced a wave of lawsuits — one as recent as last week — accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct since November, when former girlfriend Casandra Ventura sued him in federal court, accusing him of years of physical and sexual abuse.
Ventura, who is best known by her stage name, Cassie, was once signed to Combs’ Bad Boy record label.
The two settled her lawsuit a day after it was filed, without disclosing the terms of the settlement. An attorney for Combs said the settlement was not an acknowledgment of wrongdoing. He previously denied the allegations.
