Rap mogul Diddy found himself at the center of a law enforcement operation as federal agents descended on his Beverly Hills home on Monday, March 25 .
The scene was described as intense, with helicopters swarming overhead and armed agents conducting searches on the ground.
According to TMZ, the raid was part of an ongoing investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles and HSI Miami, as well as local law enforcement partners.
The operation unfolded simultaneously at Diddy’s properties in both Los Angeles and Miami.
Law enforcement sources indicated that the case is being handled out of the Southern District of New York and appears to be tied to sex trafficking allegations.
Diddy has faced allegations of sex trafficking from various plaintiffs in recent months.
Video footage captured by FOX11 showed individuals, including Diddy’s sons Justin and King Combs, in handcuffs near the property.
Additional footage obtained by TMZ revealed armed federal agents arriving at Diddy’s property by water, further emphasizing the seriousness of the operation.
While law enforcement officials were seen searching the premises and questioning individuals, it remains unclear whether Diddy was present during the raid. His representatives have not yet provided any statements regarding the incident.
This development comes amidst a backdrop of civil suits and allegations against Diddy, including accusations of human trafficking, all of which he has vehemently denied.
How Diddy became a target of law enforcement
As the law enforcement operation unfolded at Diddy’s properties, Combs has not been formally charged or accused by federal prosecutors of any crime.
The rapper, however, has found himself entangled in a series of legal battles, starting with a lawsuit filed by Casandra Ventura on Nov. 16 last year. Ventura, a singer and dancer, alleged that Combs raped her in 2018 and subjected her to years of abuse, including physical violence and exerting control over her personal and professional life.
The $30 million lawsuit was settled later that month for an undisclosed amount, with Ventura stating her decision to resolve the matter amicably, while Combs’ attorney explained that the settlement did not constitute an admission of wrongdoing.
In November, another woman named Joie Dickerson-Neal came forward with allegations against Combs, claiming he drugged and sexually assaulted her while she was a college student in 1991.
That’s not all. Around the same time, an anonymous plaintiff accused Combs and singer-songwriter Aaron Hall of raping her and a friend in 1990 or 1991 after meeting at an MCA Records event in New York.
These lawsuits emerged shortly before the expiration of a New York law allowing lawsuits for older assault allegations that would typically be barred by the statute of limitations.
Last December, yet another sexual assault lawsuit was filed against Combs, this time accusing him of drugging and participating in the gang rape of the unnamed accuser in 2003, when she was just 17 years old.
The most recent legal action against Combs came last month, with producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones suing the rapper in New York. Jones alleged that he was subjected to unwanted advances by Combs’ associates and was forced to engage in relations with sex workers hired by Combs.
Combs has not yet addressed the latest raid of his homes publicly.
