The Department of Homeland Security on Monday launched a raid on a Holmby Hills house linked to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, the well-known rapper and music mogul.
The operation is part of an ongoing investigation into alleged sex trafficking. The house, registered to Bad Boy Films, a branch of Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment, is also linked to one of Combs’ daughters.
Law officers ringed the doorbell at location, with at least 30 vehicles and three armored units present outside. Eyewitnesses saw many people being held outside the residence, but their names and the extent of their participation are unknown.
In footage captured by Fox 11 (KTTV), highly armed officers were seen entering the premises via a side gate and doing a thorough search of the property, including the garage area. At least three persons who were present at the residence during the raid were detained, however it is unclear if they are being arrested or questioned.
“Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) 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,” the Department of Homeland Security announced in a press statement.
On Monday, Cassie Ventura’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, issued a statement stating, “We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”
The New York Times reported:
Combs, 54, known as Puff Daddy and Diddy, played an integral role in the transformation of hip-hop into a global commercial force, yet has been dogged for decades by accusations of violence. In November, he was sued for sexual assault by Casandra Ventura, his former girlfriend, who was also signed to his label, Bad Boy, as the performing artist Cassie.
In her suit, Ms. Ventura accused Mr. Combs of forcing her to engage in sexual activity with male prostitutes over a period of years. The suit said that as a result of those encounters, which took place in a number of cities across the United States, Ms. Ventura was a victim of sex trafficking.
Ms. Ventura’s civil suit was settled in just one day, with her and Mr. Combs saying their dispute had been resolved “amicably.”
But her suit was followed by several more cases, each accusing Mr. Combs of sexual assault. In one case filed last month, a music producer, Rodney Jones, said that Mr. Combs had made unwanted sexual contact with him, and forced him to hire prostitutes and participate in sex acts with them.
Mr. Combs has denied the accusations against him. In December, after an anonymous woman filed a suit accusing Mr. Combs and two other men of raping her in a New York recording studio in 2003, when she was 17, the music mogul said: “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged.”
As the investigation continues, officials have yet to reveal precise details about the suspects in the inquiry. Notably, Diddy was not present at the residence during the raid.
