Inside Diddy’s Legal Case, the Allegations Made Against Him and Investigation Updates

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ world halted after his Miami and Los Angeles homes were raided by Homeland Security in connection with a federal sex trafficking investigation in March 2024. The news – though shocking to some – was the latest in a string of lawsuits placing the rapper at the center of alarming allegations, and spectators want to know more about the investigation and its updates.   

Why Was Diddy’s House Raided?  

On March 25, 2024, Diddy’s homes in Florida and California were raided by Homeland Security Agents, sparking a flurry of media activity surrounding the music producer. The search was part of a federal inquiry in connection to sex trafficking allegations against Combs, and his attorney Aaron Dyer made it clear in a statement that Combs felt the raid’s level of intensity was unwarranted.  

 “Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,” Dyer’s statement began. “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated. Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities.”

The statement continued, “Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way. This unprecedented ambush – paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence – leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.” 

What Has Diddy Been Accused of in the Past?

Allegations against Diddy date back to the 1990s, as alleged connections to weapons, violence and abuse surrounded him. In 1999, Combs’ first run-in with the law took place, and he was charged with second-degree assault and criminal mischief for allegedly beating music executive Steven Stoute with a champagne bottle. He admitted to his role in the attack and received a sentence of one day of anger management classes.  

That same year, Combs faced four weapons charges after a shooting took place in New York. Combs was dating Jennifer Lopez at the time, and the “horrifying scene” left her scarred. While companion Jamal “Shyne” Barrow was sentenced to 10 years in prison, Combs was acquitted of all charges.  

Combs was once again back in the gaze of law enforcement in 2015 when he avoided felony assault and battery charges stemming from an altercation with UCLA Bruins assistant coach Sal Alosi. The charges were dropped shortly after. By 2019, Combs faced the first of what would be many accusations of relationship abuse, first stemming from ex Gina Huynh who alleged that he was “mentally, emotionally and physically” abusive.   

Though Combs never addressed Huynh’s allegations, he would yet to face the full scope of accusations from past partners. In November 2023, ex Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed a lawsuit against the rapper and alleged that he had both sexually assaulted her and sex trafficked her through their 10 years together. Ventura also claimed in her lawsuit that Combs raped her in 2018, forced her to have sex with male escorts and physically abused her. Combs maintained that he was innocent of all allegations, but he settled the lawsuit with his ex in less than a day.  

Just weeks later, Joi Dickerson-Neal also came forward with allegations against Combs, claiming that the rapper drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1991. A month later, an unnamed woman claimed that Combs, former Bad Boy president Harve Pierre and an additional unnamed man took turns gang raping her when she was just 17 years old. Pierre, for his part, denied the allegations.   

“This is a tale of fiction,” Pierre said in a statement in December 2023. “I have never participated in, witnessed, nor heard of anything like this, ever. These disgusting allegations are false and a desperate attempt for financial gain. I will vigorously protect my reputation and defend my name. Those who know me recognize that these claims are not true.” 

The same day as the unnamed woman’s allegations were made public, Combs released a statement in response to all the claims made against him.  

“Enough is enough. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” Combs stated. “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. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” 

Combs’ time spent without additional allegations made against him was short-lived, as in February 2024, music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed a lawsuit against him for $30 million. Jones claimed that Combs sexually assaulted him, and also named Combs’ son Justin Dior Combs in the lawsuit.  

 Justin Combs’ lawyer said that any claims made against him were “categorically false,” and Combs’ legal team released an additional statement on the lawsuit.  

“Mr. Jones is nothing more than a con man, shamelessly looking for an easy and wholly undeserved payday. We have indisputable, incontrovertible proof that his claims are complete fabrications. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn has refused to return our calls. We look forward to addressing these ridiculous claims in court, and intend to take all appropriate action against all who are attempting to peddle them.” 

The raid on Combs’ homes took place just one month later.

The most recent of the seven women who filed a lawsuit against Diddy is former adult film entertainer Adria English. According to documents obtained by In Touch, Adria accused Diddy of sexual assault and sex trafficking.

Adria claimed that she and her boyfriend auditioned to be models for Diddy’s clothing brand, Sean John, where he allegedly told them to perform oral sex in order to book the job. They both declined. However, Adria was then allegedly offered to work at Diddy’s notorious White Party in the Hamptons. She claimed to have worked there from 2004 through 2009 where she was allegedly forced to have sex with prominent guests and “passed” around.

Diddy’s attorney, Jonathan Davis, denied Adria’s allegations on his client’s behalf.

“No matter how many lawsuits are filed it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone. We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason and without any proof,” Jonathan told In Touch. “Fortunately, a fair and impartial judicial process exists to find the truth and Mr. Combs is confident he will prevail against these and other baseless claims in court.”

Has Diddy Been Charged With a Crime?

Diddy was arrested by Homeland Security on September 16, 2024, in a New York City hotel room.

According to the unsealed indictment obtained by In Touch, Diddy was hit with federal charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. A Grand Jury alleged that the mogul had abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to “fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct.”

The indictment accused the “I Need a Girl” artist of a consistent and widespread pattern of mistreatment toward women, including verbal, physical and sexual abuse.

“To do so, [Diddy] relied on the employees, resources and influence of the multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled — creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”

The Grand Jury alleged that Diddy manipulated and lured women to participate in “Freak Offs,” which were carefully organized events involving sexual activities with male commercial sex workers, from 2009 to the present day. The filing said Diddy’s team and assistants were responsible for booking hotel rooms for “Freak Offs” and sex workers were allegedly often transported across state lines. Diddy “arranged, directed, masturbated during” and often filmed the “Freak Offs,” according to the indictment.

During searches of Diddy’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles, law enforcement “seized various Freak Off supplies, including narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant,” according to the paperwork.

In Touch exclusively reported on September 17, 2024, that the government filed a letter to the judge explaining that the music mogul not be released on bond, alleging he was a serious flight risk.

Following his arrest, Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, maintained his innocence, telling TMZ, “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. 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.”

He has since pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Diddy Being Held Without Bail Until Trial

The rapper appeared in court in New York for his arraignment hearing on September 17, 2024, where he pleaded not guilty to all three sex trafficking and racketeering charges. During the hearing, the prosecutors revealed that authorities had found what appeared to be ecstasy and other drugs in Diddy’s hotel room during his arrest.

Additionally, Agnifilo addressed the 2016 hotel surveillance footage of his client apparently physically assaulting Cassie, claiming that there was more to the story. He alleged that “Victim One,” assumed to be Cassie, went through Diddy’s phone and discovered his infidelity. She then allegedly hit him on the head with his own cell phone and took his clothes, which allegedly led to the fight in the hallway. Agnifilo claimed that Cassie had also cheated on Diddy. He also claimed that the sexual encounters Diddy allegedly forced women into were consensual.

Federal prosecutors and Diddy’s lawyers also spent time during the hearing arguing over whether or not he should be released on bail or held until trial. After nearly two hours of hearing from both sides, the judge ruled that Diddy would be held until trial. Prosecutors deemed the rapper a potential flight risk and believed that he had the power to intimidate witnesses and obstruct the case if released.

“Mr. Combs is a fighter,” Agnifilo said, adding that the Bad Boy Records founder was “innocent.” “He’s going to fight this to the end. “He came to New York to establish his innocence. … He’s not afraid of the charges. There’s nothing that the government said in their presentation today that chances anyone’s mind about anything. He’s been looking forward to this day; he’s been looking forward to clearing his name, and he’s going to clear his name. We’re going to stand by his side as he does.”

Agnifilo submitted a new plea for Diddy’s release on September 18, 2024. According to the letter obtained by In Touch, the rapper offered to submit to weekly drug tests and restrict female visitors to his Miami mansion if released. Diddy’s attorney also said that his client is “in treatment and therapy,” according to People.

“Mr. Combs is not a perfect person. There’s been drug use, there’s been toxic relationships – which I think were mutual in their toxicity as these things often are,” Agnifilo said, adding that Diddy getting help “at the ripe old age of 54 should be applauded.”

Inside Diddy’s Life in Prison

Diddy is being held in a special housing unit separate from the general population at the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, due to fears for his safety, former warden Cameron Lindsay told TMZ. Cameron told the outlet that Diddy’s fame and the nature of the allegations against him make him a target among other inmates. Some might even consider killing Diddy to be a “badge of honor,” the former warden added.

In Touch obtained the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus for the prison. The options for inmates’ first meal of the day include fruit, cereal, breakfast cakes, skim milk and coffee. For lunch, they can have scrambled eggs, a chicken wrap, chicken patty sandwich, black bean burger, baked chicken, baked fish or beef tacos, depending on the day.

The dinner options include chili mac, Sailsbury steak, turkey roast, pasta, beef and broccoli or chicken fried rice, with cheese pizza with spinach served on weekends. The sides offered include coleslaw, biscuits, fruit, green beans, pinto beans, rice, green peas and corn.

Additionally, In Touch obtained Diddy’s limited commissary list. He has the option of purchasing a six-pack of water for $4.50, decaffeinated coffee for $3.55 or powered milk for $5.75. For food, he can buy sugar-free honey for $3.70, jalapeño wheels for $3.20, peanut butter for $3.15, Velveeta cheese blocks for $3.70, chicken stock cubes for $1,80, tuna in Thai chili sauce for $2.50, turkey log with honey pepper for $2.70, a hot and spicy beef sausage log for $2.55, a Spam pouch for $1.50, hot chili with beans for $1.95 or unsalted crackers for $1.95.

There are also various other food items on the menu, including candy bars and other snacks. He can splurge on the rib steak meal for $9.95, bone-in chicken meal for $5.45 or the dark chocolate bar for $2.25.

Diddy can also purchase clothes, including sweatshirts for $16.15 and thermal pants for about $8. New Balance sneakers are sold for $55, as well as a radio for $15.60. Personal hygiene and care items for sale include body wash, soap, razors and hair brushes.

As for Diddy’s new life in prison, he is forced to adhere to a strict set of rules that include no smoking and random drug tests. Per the inmate admission and orientation handbook for the New York prison obtained by In Touch, Diddy is required to wake up at 6 a.m. and participate in meals and work. He also has to make his bed by 6:30 a.m.

Diddy Placed on Suicide Watch

As Diddy awaited his trial at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center, he was placed on suicide watch. Diddy’s attorney clarified that his client wasn’t actually suicidal but the measure was routine for “new, high-profile inmates,” per TMZ. Instead, the attorney said he spoke with Diddy on September 19, 2024, and the mogul was “not at all suicidal” and instead “strong, healthy, confident and focused on his defense.”

He has since been taken off of suicide watch.

Diddy’s Children Break Their Silence on Mom Kim Porter Conspiracy Theories After His Arrest

Diddy’s children Quincy Combs, Christian Combs, and twins Jessie and D’Lila Combs broke their silence on his arrest on September 24, 2024. The message followed conspiracy theories that Diddy’s ex Kim Porter’s 2018 death was foul play. While her death was initially investigated, it was determined after an autopsy that Kim died of lobar pneumonia.

“We have seen so many hurtful and false rumors circulating about our parents, Kim Porter and Sean Combs’ relationship. As well as about our mom’s tragic passing. That we feel the need to speak out,” they wrote in a joint statement via Instagram. “Claims that our mom wrote a book are simply untrue. She did not. And anyone claiming to have a manuscript is misrepresenting themselves. Additionally, please understand that any so-called ‘friend’ speaking on behalf of our mom or her family is not a friend, nor do they have her best interests at heart.”

The statement continued, “Our lives were shattered when we lost our mother. She was our world. And nothing has been the same since she passed. While it has been incredibly difficult to reconcile how she could be taken from us too soon. The cause of her death has long been established. There was no foul play. Grief is a lifelong process, and we ask that everyone respect our request for peace as we continue to cope with her loss every day.”

The family said that they were “deeply saddened” that the public had made “a spectacle” of their mother’s death. They agreed that Kim’s memory “should not be tainted by horrific conspiracy theories.”

“We ask that everyone please respect our mother, Kim Porter. And hold her legacy in high regard so that she may rest in peace. It’s what she deserves. We love you and miss you, Mommy,” the statement concluded.

Diddy’s Lawyer Explains Why Mogul Had 1,000 Bottles of Baby Oil

Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, is set to appear in the upcoming TMZ studios documentary, The Downfall of Diddy: The Indictment, and tried to offer an explanation on why Homeland Security found 1,000 bottles of baby oil in his client’s home.

“I don’t know where the number a thousand came [from] … I can’t imagine it’s thousands. I’m not really sure what the baby oil has to do with anything,” he told the outlet on September 25, 2024. TMZ founder Harvey Levin mentioned federal agents believed the product was “lubricant for an orgy,” to which the attorney replied, “I guess. I don’t know what you need a thousand — one bottle of baby oil goes a long way.”

The lawyer also said Diddy likely purchased the oil in “bulk” from Costco since he has “a big house.”

“He buys in bulk, you know,” he continued. “I think they have Costcos in every place where he has a home. Have you sat in the parking lot of a Costco and see what people walk out of there with?”

Costco responded to the lawyer’s comments on September 26, 2024, claiming they do not carry baby oil in any of its U.S. locations.

Diddy Plans to Testify in His Trial

Agnifilo revealed that the disgraced music mogul plans to testify during his trial and is “eager to tell his story.”

“He has his story and he has a story that I think only he can tell in the way he can tell it in real-time,” Agnifilo stated. “And it’s a human story. It’s a story of love. It’s a story of hurt. It’s a story of heartbreak.”

The attorney also said that Diddy wants to clarify his side of things regarding the security footage that showed him getting physical with ex Cassie. While Agnifilo fully expects the video of Diddy attacking Cassie to be brought up at the trial, he argued that it isn’t related to the charges the “All About the Benjamins” artist faces.

“It’s hard to watch for anyone. That being said, it is not evidence of sex trafficking. There was a certain level of toxicity and drug use in the 10-year relationship between Mr. Combs and the woman that he was in love with,” Agnifilo explained. “Their difficulties did not stem from their intimate time together. Their difficulties stemmed from that she was cheating on him and he was cheating on her. It’s not related to the charge.”

120 Alleged Victims of Diddy’s Abuse Come Forward in Press Conference

Attorney Tony Buzbee claimed in a press conference on October 1, 2024, that Diddy allegedly sexually abused a 9-year-old boy. The accusation came alongside claims made by 120 other alleged victims represented by the same Houston-based law firm.

“This individual, who was 9 years old at the time, was taken to an audition in New York City with Bad Boy Records,” Buzbee claimed, according to a video shared by TMZ. “Other boys were there to audition as well. All of them were trying to land a record deal. All of them were minors.”

Buzbee alleged that the victim claimed to have been “abused allegedly by Sean Combs and several other people at the studio in the promise to both [the victim’s] parents and him, himself, of getting a record deal.”

The attorney also detailed an alleged incident from a second accuser who claimed that Diddy told him he’d “make him a star.” The rapper allegedly told accuser No. 2, who was also a minor, that they needed to “meet in private about it and away from his parents.”

“Once they were in a private area, allegedly, Mr. Combs made the victim perform oral sex upon him,” Buzbee continued.

Buzbee also claimed during the press conference that Diddy allegedly drugged many of his victims with a horse tranquilizer before sexually assaulting them, according to Page Six.

“Several of the individuals [I represent] … were drug tested and drugs were found in their system,” Buzbee alleged. “Weird drugs, drugs that you probably never heard of.”

“One in particular that continues to pop up is a drug called Xylazine, or tranq, which based on our research, is known as a horse tranquilizer,” he continued, going on to mention a 20-year-old who was allegedly invited to a hotel party by the rapper.

“She was flattered, went to the party [and] was given one drink and doesn’t remember anything else,” Buzbee claimed. “Ultimately [she] was so messed up [that she] went to the hospital, where they found cocaine and this horse tranquilizer in her blood system.”

Finally, Buzbee claimed that Diddy is just one of “many powerful people” who will soon go down for the crimes that allegedly took place at his parties, auditions and other events.

“We will expose the enablers who enabled this conduct behind closed doors. We will pursue this matter no matter who the evidence implicates,” Buzbee said. “The day will come when we will name names other than Sean Combs, and there’s a lot of names. It’s a long list already, but because of the nature of this case, we are going to make damn sure — damn sure — that we’re right before we do that. The names will shock you.”

Diddy’s attorney Erica Wolff responded to the accusations and denied Buzbee’s claims.

“As Mr. Combs’ legal team has emphasized, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus,” Wolff told TMZ in a statement. “That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors. He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court if and when claims are filed and served, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”

Diddy’s Lawyers Accuse the Government of Leaking Cassie Ventura Beating Video

During an October 10, 2024, court hearing, Diddy’s legal team alleged that the government leaked the hotel surveillance footage from 2016 showing the rapper appearing to violently beat his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

Diddy’s team claimed this was done to taint Diddy’s reputation, according to legal documents obtained by In Touch. His attorneys then asked the Southern District of New York “to investigate alleged government misconduct, specifically concerning unlawful leaks that resulted in prejudicial pre-trial publicity.”

The attorneys alleged that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was behind the leaks that “have damaged Mr. Combs’ right to a fair trial.” In the filing, Diddy’s team accused DHS of allegedly launching a seven-month smear campaign against him to “undermine” his “right to a fair trial” by “leaking confidential grand jury materials.”

“The leaks have resulted in damaging and highly prejudicial media coverage, particularly sensationalizing the investigation and the involvement of Mr. Combs’ family,” his lawyers wrote in the filing.

When Will Diddy’s Trial Begin?

At the same October 10, 2024, hearing, a judge ruled Diddy’s trial will begin on May 5, 2025. It is expected to last for approximately one month but could go longer if additional charges are added.

Diddy’s Ex-Girlfriend Kat Pasion Speaks Out in Documentary

Investigation Discovery’s docuseries The Fall of Diddy, which premieres on January 27, 2025, includes interviews with several people who have known Diddy and/or worked with him throughout the years. Kat Pasion, who claimed she and Diddy dated after the death of his ex Porter, said at first, she “wasn’t sure if I wanted to speak my story and make it public,” but “over the last probably 11 months [she] decided to speak [her] truth and take [her] power back.”

“He would say certain things like, ‘I’m trying to do things differently this time,’” Pasion claimed during her interview, per Us Weekly. “Which at the time, I didn’t understand what he meant. What was different from now than before? And then it started to filter out as I started to see this other side of him as the months progressed — a different side that I didn’t like.”

Pasion also went into chilling details about one alleged incident where she claimed Diddy acted as though he might choke her.

“He put his hand up on my neck but he wasn’t, like, touching my neck yet — it was just kind of hovering,” Pasion alleged. “We were looking each other in the eye, and I was like, ‘Don’t you f–king dare,’ and like, ‘You wouldn’t, because I’ll call the police, I’ll do whatever.’ And he just started laughing and he kind of played it off like it was a joke and he was just kidding, and we were back to having fun.”

However, Diddy’s reps have slammed the accusations from Pasion.

“As we’ve said before, Mr. Combs cannot respond to every new publicity stunt, even in response to claims that are facially ridiculous,” a rep said in a statement to Us Weekly published on January 23, 2025. “Mr. Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail: that the accusations against Mr. Combs are pure fiction.”

If you or anyone you know has been sexually abused, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). A trained staff member will provide confidential, judgment-free support as well as local resources to assist in healing, recovering and more.