The Department of Homeland Security conducted a search on Los Angeles and Miami homes belonging to Sean “Diddy” Combs on March 25.
According to a statement from the Department obtained by Q (which was first reported by TMZ): "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. We will provide further information as it becomes available.”
The music mogul has been at the center of an explosive series of sexual abuse allegations starting late last year.
Aerial footage captured by LA's Fox 11 station showed armed agents conducting the search on Combs' home in the ritzy Holmby Hills area of the city, as well as several people handcuffed near the street outside. According to TMZ, two of the men seen handcuffed are Combs' adult children, Justin Combs and King Combs.
NBC's Miami affiliate also captured video of agents searching Combs' property in the Star Island area of Miami Beach. Sean Combs himself can not be seen in any of the videos released thus far.
The allegations against Combs -- whose vast business empire grew from music to encompass television, fashion and beverage ventures over the past several decades -- began on Nov. 17 of 2023, when R&B singer Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura filed suit against the mogul, her former partner. Her suit included allegations of rape, physical abuse, and even threats to blow up the car of rapper Kid Cudi, with the rapper confirming to the New York Times that a car had indeed exploded in his driveway. Combs denied the allegations through his attorney, and the case was settled out of court the following day, with Cassie saying in a statement: "I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control.”
The following week, Combs was accused in separate lawsuits by Joi Dickerson-Neal and an unidentified woman for sexual misconduct that allegedly occurred in the 1990s. Combs' attorney also denied those allegations.
In response to today's raid, Ventura's lawyer Douglas Wigdor released a statement, saying: “we will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct.”
Agents seen on Combs' Los Angeles property on March 25.
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Several weeks later, a fourth sexual abuse lawsuit filed was levied against Combs, in which the mogul was accused of participating in a gang rape of a then-17-year-old in 2003. In a court filing weeks later, Combs claims he “never participated in, witnessed, or was or is presently aware of any misconduct, sexual or otherwise” with the plaintiff.
In a statement posted to X (formerly known as Twitter) after the latter lawsuit, Combs wrote: “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.”
In late February, producer Rodney Jones Jr., professionally known as Lil Rod Madeit, also sued Combs for a series of alleged abuses that the producer says occurred when he was working on Combs' 2023 album, The Love Album: Off the Grid. Combs' attorneys denied those allegations as well.
Combs has been the subject of multiple sexual assault allegations beginning last last year.
After the allegations began to surface, Combs severed ties with the liquor giant Diageo, with whom he had long collaborated on the Ciroc vodka and DeLeón tequila lines. Combs also stepped down from his Revolt TV network, and a planned reality series with Hulu set to feature the mogul's family was scrapped.
