Introduction: Sean Combs

The music mogul has been
under investigation since 2023,
when his ex-girlfriend Cassie

accused him of sex trafficking
and years of abuse. Mr. Combs’
representatives called him “not guilty.”

Sean Combs, the music mogul
whose career has been marred by
sexual harassment lawsuits and

a federal investigation, was
arrested Monday night at a Manhattan hotel.
The indictment was unsealed and

the charges sealed, but Mr. Combs’
lawyer, Mark Agnifilo, said he
believed he would be charged

with fraud and sex trafficking.
Mr. Combs’ legal team said in
a statement that they were

disappointed with the decision
to charge him, that he
was cooperating with the investigation

and that he “voluntarily moved
to New York last week to
await these charges.”

“These were the actions of an
innocent man who had nothing
to hide, and we look forward to

clearing his name in court,”
Combs’ lawyers said in a statement.
In March, federal agents

searched Combs’ homes in
Los Angeles and Miami Beach,
Florida, stopped him at a Miami-area

airport and seized his electronic
devices. Although officials made
no announcement at the time, federal

officials said the investigation was
at least partly a human trafficking investigation.

Federal prosecutors in New York had previously interviewed

Federal prosecutors in
New York had previously
interviewed several witnesses

about allegations of sexual
misconduct against Combs,
according to people

familiar with the matter.
Combs vehemently denied
the allegations in the civil lawsuit,

calling them “outrageous claims” made by people looking for a “quick payday.” His lawyers sharply criticized the way Department of Homeland Security investigators handled the gunpoint attack, calling it an “excessive use of military force.”

Department of Homeland Security investigations, which often look into sex-trafficking cases, Mr. The March raids were announced to the world on television news as agents gathered at Combs’ sprawling Los Angeles mansion to activate electronic devices. The mother of one of her sons, Justin and Christian Combs, shared footage of agents firing guns while they were being held at their father’s home.

Since then, federal prosecutors have remained silent, saying that Mr. As they built their case against Combs, they quietly subpoenaed potential witnesses.