Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ properties have been raided by US legislation enforcement. Here’s what we all know | EUROtoday

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Homes belonging to Sean “Diddy” Combs in Los Angeles and Miami have been raided by officers from US Homeland Security on Monday, 25 March.

The rapper and music mogul – who’s credited with serving to launch the careers of artists together with Biggie Smalls, Mary J Blige and Usher – has confronted a string of various accusations up to now six months, together with sexual assault.

Here’s the whole lot you have to know:

Why are the properties being raided?

Diddy’s Los Angeles mansion is within the upmarket Holmby Hills space, close to Bel Air and Beverly Hills, whereas his Miami Beach house is positioned on the unique Star Island.

The raids are “in connection with a federal sex trafficking investigation” in line with Fox 11, who have been first to report on the raids.

In an announcement issued on Monday, Homeland Security stated: “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations 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.”

NBC News cited an unnamed supply as saying that three ladies and a person have been interviewed by federal officers in Manhattan and three different interviews are scheduled regarding allegations of intercourse trafficking, sexual assault, and the solicitation and distribution of unlawful narcotics and firearms.

It stays unconfirmed whether or not Diddy himself is the main target of the investigation,

Fox 11 has additionally shared video footage of the raid taken from an overhead helicopter that exhibits a number of people in handcuffs outdoors the property, together with two males.

Diddy additionally has one other residence, bought in Atlanta, Georgia in 2003, that has sat vacant for a number of years. Pictures present the counters coated in mud and chandeliers coated in cobwebs. Police didn’t raid this property.

Where is Diddy?

Speculation as to Diddy’s whereabouts have circulated because the raids on Monday.

Information a couple of personal jet, belonging to the rapper was faraway from a preferred flight monitoring web site on Tuesday. The black, 20-seat black Gulfstream Aerospace GV-SP is registered to LoveAir LLC.

According to TMZ, the aircraft was noticed on the bottom in Antigua, within the Caribbean, shortly after information of the raids broke. It was unconfirmed whether or not or not Diddy was on board.

The outlet reported, based mostly on flight knowledge, that the jet had travelled throughout California between Sunday and Monday, taking off from Sacramento Executive Airport Sunday night round 5:30pm and touchdown at Palm Springs International Airport about an hour later.

It later took off once more, stopping at Van Nuys Airport, simply north of Los Angeles. Some time later it left Van Nuys and landed in Antigua, in line with TMZ.

However, on Tuesday flight knowledge was now not out there on-line. An announcement on FlightAware.com learn: “This aircraft (N1969C) is not available for public tracking per request from the owner/operator.”

What are the accusations towards Diddy?

The rapper and music mogul, 54, has confronted a string of sexual assault allegations in latest months.

In February, a male music producer accused Diddy of sexually assaulting him and forcing him to sleep with intercourse employees.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court docket in New York, accused the music mogul of repeated situations of unsolicited groping and sexual touching. It additionally stated that the person needed to work in a toilet whereas Diddy showered and walked round bare.

Another lawsuit, filed in December, alleged that Diddy had gang-raped a 17-year-old lady in 2003.

The plaintiff, recognized as Jane Doe, accused Diddy of plying her with medicine and alcohol at his New York studio after which raping her together with two associates.

The swimsuit accused Diddy of a “sex trafficking scheme,” during which Jane Doe was flown by personal jet from her residence in Michigan to New York.

Others within the media sphere have additionally come out towards him, citing their destructive experiences. Tanika Ray, a TV host and one-time backup singer for Diddy, stated she had a “horrific” expertise with the rapper. “I just knew to avoid him at all costs … Yes, I danced for him and kept my space. I interviewed him for his projects and kept my space. Nothing that is happening is surprising.” she wrote, per Page Six.

Meanwhile, a lately resurfaced video exhibits Diddy questioning a nervous Justin Bieber, who seems to be 16-years-old, about why he has supposedly been maintaining his distance.

Diddy has vehemently denied all accusations towards him.

Lawsuit with Cassie

In November, he and R&B singer Cassie, whose full title is Cassandra Ventura, settled a lawsuit after she claimed that she was trafficked, raped and overwhelmed by the rapper on many events over 10 years.

Her lawsuit alleged that Diddy introduced the singer into his “ostentatious, fast-paced, and drug-fueled lifestyle” not lengthy after she met him, and signed her to his label when she was 19 and he was 37 in 2005.

Cassie stated that the sample of abuse started as quickly as their relationship began and that, as she was attempting to finish it in 2018, he compelled her into her Los Angeles residence and raped her.

Her accusations towards Diddy have been introduced by the New York Adult Survivors Act (ASA), which expired at midnight on 23 November 2023

The act offered survivors a one-year window to pursue civil litigation no matter when the abuse occurred, which means incidents from many years have been lastly delivered to gentle.

Over 2,500 circumstances have been filed beneath the ASA earlier than its expiry at midnight on 23 November 2023, court docket knowledge despatched to The Independent confirmed.

Survivors introduced lawsuits towards a few of the state’s strongest males, together with main gamers in leisure, similar to Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, Axl Rose, and Diddy.

What has Diddy stated?

The mogul has strongly denied all of the accusations towards him and vowed to “fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”

On Tuesday, attorneys for the rapper described the actions of US Homeland Security in the course of the property raids on Monday as a “gross overuse of military level force”.

Lawyer Aaron Dyer stated: “Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr Comb’s residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”

In an announcement in December, following the lawsuit introduced by Jane Doe, he referred to as the claims “sickening” and stated his accusers have been “looking for a quick payday”.

“Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged,” he stated in an announcement. “I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”

Diddy’s lawyer, Shawn Holley, branded the occasions described within the lawsuit as “pure fiction”.

“We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies,” he stated. “We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”

Following the settlement with Ventura, Ben Brafman, one other legal professional for Diddy, instructed The Independent: “Just so we’re clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing.

“Mr. Combs’s decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims.

“He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms Ventura the best.”