NEW YORK, USA – Music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was arrested Monday, September 16, 2024, night in New York City by federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY).
The arrest follows a sealed indictment issued by a federal grand jury, with the charges expected to be unsealed on Tuesday.
The arrest occurred at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, where Combs was staying.
Sources told ABC News that the hip-hop icon will remain in federal custody overnight before his arraignment in court on Tuesday.
The details of the charges have not yet been made public.
In a brief statement Monday evening, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams confirmed the arrest and said more information would be revealed once the indictment is unsealed.
“Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY,” Williams said. “We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.”
Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, responded to the arrest in a statement, calling the prosecution of his client “unjust” and urging the public to withhold judgment until all facts are presented.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Agnifilo said.
“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,” Agnifilo continued.
“He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal.”
Agnifilo noted that Combs has been cooperative with the investigation, relocating to New York in anticipation of potential charges.
“These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court,” Agnifilo added.
Combs has been under investigation for nearly a year following allegations made by his former longtime girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in a civil lawsuit.
Ventura’s lawsuit prompted at least 10 additional legal complaints. Combs has denied all the allegations in these lawsuits.
In March, federal agents raided Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami as part of the investigation.
The raids, carried out by HSI agents, resulted in the seizure of several electronic devices from the properties, according to law enforcement sources.
At the time, a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations confirmed that the searches were part of an “ongoing investigation.”
Sources have indicated that Combs is being investigated as part of a federal sex trafficking probe led by prosecutors from the Southern District of New York.
HSI agents reportedly focused their search on gathering evidence related to these allegations during the raids earlier this year.
Combs’ arrest marks a critical development in the federal investigation into the high-profile music and liquor mogul.
As the charges remain sealed, the public and legal experts alike are waiting for the indictment to be unsealed on Tuesday, which could provide further clarity on the nature of the accusations.
Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are expected to lay out the case against Combs during his arraignment, and his legal team has already indicated they will fight the charges vigorously.
This arrest adds another chapter to the tumultuous legal saga surrounding one of hip-hop’s most influential figures, with his future now facing significant uncertainty.
