Sean “Diddy” Combs is staying quiet about the recent raids on his two properties, but his lawyer is outraged by the police’s alleged tactics.
“Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,” Diddy’s attorney, Aaron Dyer, told Us Weekly in a statement on Tuesday, March 26. “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”
The lawyer explained: “Mr. Combs was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities. 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.”
Dyer called the raids on Diddy’s Los Angeles and Miami residences an “unprecedented ambush” that was “paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence,” which resulted in “a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.”
The statement concluded: “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.”
TMZ broke the news on Monday, March 25, that law enforcement agents had raided two of Diddy’s residences. At the time, Homeland Security officials told Los Angeles’ Fox 11 that the raid was in connection to a federal sex trafficking investigation.
“Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners,” Homeland Security Investigations later told Us in a statement. “We will provide further information as it becomes available.”
Two of Diddy’s sons were “reportedly detained at the scene” during the L.A. raid, according to ABC World News Tonight With David Muir’s Monday broadcast. ABC has since reported that they were released without charges.
According to NBC News, federal officials have already conducted interviews with three women and a man regarding allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault and the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms. Three more interviews have been scheduled, per the outlet.
Monday’s raid came amid several sexual assault allegations against Diddy. The music mogul’s ex-girlfriend Cassie (real name Casandra Ventura) was the first to accuse him of rape, assault and repeated physical abuse, per a November 2023 lawsuit obtained by Us.
“After years in silence and darkness, I am finally ready to tell my story, and to speak up on behalf of myself and for the benefit of other women who face violence and abuse in their relationships,” Cassie said in a statement at the time.
Diddy, who dated Cassie on and off from 2007 to 2018, refuted the “offensive and outrageous allegations” in a statement to Us by his lawyer Ben Brafman.
“For the past six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail,” the statement read. “Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’s reputation and seeking a payday.”
Cassie proceeded to drop the suit one day later, with Wigdor telling Us that she and Diddy had “amicably” settled. On Monday, Cassie spoke out about the raid via a statement to Us.
“We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law,” lawyer Douglas Wigdor said. “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”
Since Cassie’s suit, multiple other alleged victims have also come forward accusing Diddy of sexual assault. The most recent allegation came in February, when Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones accused Diddy of sexually harassing, drugging and threatening him while they resided and traveled together from September 2022 to November 2023. Jones is suing Diddy, seeking $30 million in damages.
Diddy denied the allegations. His attorney Shawn Holley said in a statement to Us that Jones is “shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
