(IntegrityTimes.com) – Social media was set ablaze on March 25 after reports that the Department of Homeland Security had raided rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs’ homes in Florida and California.
A statement released by Homeland Security Investigations confirmed that the raids were “part of an ongoing investigation.” While it was not immediately clear if Combs was a target of the investigation, a U.S. official told Fox News that the raids were related to a human trafficking investigation. Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, filed a lawsuit against the rapper back in November, accusing him of rape and domestic abuse. She also claimed that he made her have lewd encounters with male prostitutes while he observed and recorded the acts.
Combs denied any wrongdoing at the time, and Ventura dropped the lawsuit a day later, announcing that they agreed to settle the matter privately. After the raid, Ventura’s attorney told Fox News that his client hoped it was the start “of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.” Just hours after the raid began, Combs was seen pacing while on the phone outside of an airport in Miami. The New York Post said its sources reported that computers and other electronic devices were seized during the raids and Combs’ phones were taken while he was at the airport.
Music producer Brendan Paul was arrested while trying to board the plane and is facing drug-related charges. Combs’ plane was tracked to Antigua that afternoon, but it is unclear if he was on board. Multiple people have been interviewed by New York prosecutors in connection with the investigation and a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) case. The search warrants for each home were issued by the Southern District of New York. Combs was sued by three other women in 2023 with similar allegations as Ventura. With each lawsuit, his attorneys released a statement denying the alleged victims’ claims.
Copyright 2024, IntegrityTimes.com
