Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested by federal agents in Manhattan on Monday night, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors did not immediately announce details of the charges, but Combs faces numerous sexual assault allegations.
The U.S. attorney in Manhattan, Damian Williams, said the arrest was based on a sealed indictment filed by the Southern District of New York.
“We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time,” Williams said in a statement.
Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, issued a statement in response to the arrest.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Agnifilo said.
“He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal,” he added.
Combs, 58, had traveled to New York last week in anticipation of the charges being brought, his lawyer said.
Combs faces a number of allegations of abuse from people who once worked or were close to the prominent music producer, who founded Bad Boy Records and is lauded as one of the most influential hip-hop producers and executives of the last 30 years.
Last November, R&B singer Casandra Ventura, who goes by “Cassie,” was among the first of many to sue Combs for alleged exploitation, sexual abuse, and mistreatment. Cassie’s lawsuit was quickly settled on undisclosed terms “to their mutual satisfaction,” but several more were filed in the following months by others.
Leaked footage aired by CNN in May showed Combs punching Cassie, kicking her, and throwing her on the floor in a hotel hallway. The next day, Combs released a video statement on social media, saying, “I was disgusted when I did it” and “I’m disgusted now.”
In February, Combs was accused of forcibly touching and attempting to touch the “intimate areas” of Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones in a $30 million lawsuit filed by Jones that included other allegations.
Los Angeles and Miami Mansions Raided
In March, federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security and other law enforcement officials raided Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami mansions as part of an ongoing investigation. A Manhattan federal court issues warrants to search the properties.
His attorney, Aaron Dyer, said the raids were “a gross use of military-level force.” Dyer called the allegations against the R&B producer “meritless” and said Combs was “innocent and will continue to fight” to clear his name.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times