Two homes owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs were raided by the US Department of Homeland Security on Monday (March 25th) in connection to an ongoing federal sex trafficking investigation. Now, Combs’ lawyer is claiming that officials employed a “gross overuse of military-level force.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, Combs’ attorney, Aaron Dyer, alleges that there was an “excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities,” and that Combs’ children and employees were “treated” poorly. The statement also claims that Combs “spoke to and cooperated with authorities,” and has not been arrested or otherwise restricted by law enforcement.
Dyer’s statement goes on to call the raid an “unprecedented ambush,” and the allegations against Combs in general as part of a “witch hunt.” He concludes by saying that Combs “will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”
All of this comes after Combs’ past has come under scrutiny in light of a number of recent lawsuits brought against the rap mogul. Last November, he was sued by singer Cassie Ventura for rape, sex trafficking, and years of repeated physical abuse (though the lawsuit was settled the day after it was filed).
Following Ventura’s case, two additional lawsuits were filed against Combs regarding alleged abuse, and a fourth person came forward with allegations the next month. Last month, producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones (who has credits on Combs’ 2023 album, The Love Album: Off the Grid) filed a sexual assault lawsuit against Combs, claiming he was harassed and trafficked by him.
Combs has maintained innocence. In recent months, though, many of his business ties have been cut. Others, meanwhile, have claimed to have had suspicions about Combs for some time, like 50 Cent, who is now producing a documentary on Combs’ assault allegations.
If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual misconduct, you can reach out for support:
RAINN Hotline
1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
http://www.rainn.org
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HERE” to 741-741
http://www.facebook.com/crisistextline (chat support)
