Sean “Diddy” Combs has been indicted on sex trafficking and extortion charges, alleging that he used his fame to abuse and extort women for decades.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was charged with organized crime conspiracy and sex trafficking in an indictment unsealed Tuesday, which alleges the superstar rapper engaged in sexual abuse of women over a decades-long period.
Combs, 54, who was arrested by federal agents on Monday, also faces a charge of “transportation for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.”
The music mogul is scheduled to make his first appearance in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday morning, and his lawyer, Mark Anifilo, told reporters he will plead not guilty.
“He is innocent of these charges,” Anifilo said.
He added that Combs is “in good mental health” and “will fight this with all his energy and all his might.”
The indictment alleges that for decades, Combs “abuses, intimidates and coerces women and others to gratify his own sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct.”
See also: Sean “Diddy” Combs arrested in assault case
He is accused of “creating a criminal organization whose members or associates engaged or attempted to engage in criminal activities, including sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
According to the indictment, Combs allegedly subjected the woman to “persistent and widespread” verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse.
“Over a period of several years beginning at least approximately 2009, Combs assaulted the woman, including punching, hitting, dragging, throwing objects at and kicking her,” the report states.
Combs is the subject of multiple civil lawsuits alleging he is a violent sex offender who used alcohol and drugs to subjugate his victims.
In March, agents searched the rapper's luxury homes in Miami and Los Angeles in a raid that suggested criminal charges were being prepared against Combs.
The shocking lawsuit against Diddy
Variously known as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, the music industry mogul is credited with playing a key role in moving hip hop from the streets to high-end clubs.
See also: Shocking video shows Sean “Diddy” Combs assaulting his partner
Over the decades, he has amassed vast wealth, including through investments in the liquor industry.
Combs has tried to carve out an image of himself as a slick party leader and business mogul, but a series of lawsuits have portrayed him as a violent man who used his celebrity status to prey on women.
Combs has no felony convictions, but he faces a long-running string of physical assault allegations dating back to the 1990s.
The allegations were launched last year when singer Cassie (real name Cassandra Ventura) alleged that Combs had physically assaulted and drugged her for more than a decade, as well as raped her in 2018.
The two met when Ventura was 19 and Combs was 37, after which Ventura signed her to his record label and they began dating.
That shocking lawsuit was settled out of court, but it has since been followed by a wave of equally shocking sexual assault allegations, including one in December by a woman who claims she was gang-raped by Combs and others when she was 17.
See also: Sean “Diddy” Combs accused of sexually assaulting model in new lawsuit
In May, shocking surveillance footage was released showing Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend, Ventura, corroborating allegations made by Ventura in a now-settled case.
Global fame and dark shadows
Born Sean John Combs on November 4, 1969 in Harlem, the artist started in the industry as an intern at Uptown Records in 1990, eventually becoming a talent director.
He gained a reputation as a party planner, which became central to his brand as his fame grew.
In 1991, he was promoting a celebrity basketball game and concert at the City University of New York when a stampede left nine people dead.
The event was over capacity by thousands and led to a series of lawsuits, with Combs accused of hiring inadequate security guards.
He was fired from Uptown and started his own label, Bad Boy Records.
See also: Sean “Diddy” Combs issues 'empty' apology after video shows him assaulting partner
From there, he rapidly rose to the top of East Coast hip-hop alongside his late protégé, The Notorious B.I.G.
Combs has worked on numerous signings and producing collaborations with big name artists, including Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil' Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men.
He was also a Grammy-winning rapper, whose debut album, No Way Out, and chart-topping single “Can't Nobody Hold Me Down” were both huge successes.
His bold attitude took him into Hollywood, reality TV and the fashion industry, and he was romantically linked to celebrities like Jennifer Lopez.
– by: ©Agence France-Presse