Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested Monday night at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan and taken into custody by Homeland Security Investigations after months of controversy, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
A federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday revealed that Combs faces a number of charges.
During a news conference, US attorney for Southern District of New York Damian Williams said that the investigation is ongoing and that he’s not taking “anything off the table” regarding the possibility of additional charges in the future.
Here’s what we know so far about the case:
- The charges: The US attorney for Southern District of New York outlined the charges against Combs for racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and interstate transportation for prostitution at a news conference on Tuesday. Williams said “between at least 2008 and the present, Combs abused, threatened and coerced victims to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct.”
- Combs’ alleged abuse: Combs allegedly gave victims a series of party drugs during extended sex performances he called “freak offs,” Williams said. Combs allegedly planned and controlled the sex performances, and he often electronically recorded them. “The ‘freak offs’ sometimes lasted days at a time, involved multiple commercial sex workers, and often involved a variety of narcotics — such as ketamine, ecstasy and GHB — which Combs distributed to the victims to keep them obedient and compliant,” he said.
- Physical injuries reported: Williams detailed Combs’ alleged physical abuse to victims, saying it sometimes resulted in injuries that took “days or weeks to heal.” “Specifically, Combs kicked, dragged and threw a vase at a victim in a Los Angeles hotel when the victim was attempting to flee,” he said.
- Prosecutors seek to detain Combs: Prosecutors are seeking to detain Sean “Diddy” Combs ahead of trial, Williams said Tuesday. The federal prosecutors filed a letter with the court explaining their reasoning, but Williams did not elaborate on the details it contained. Combs will appear in court at 2:30 p.m. ET today, per a law enforcement source.
- March raids: On Tuesday, Williams outlined some of the items seized from raids on Combs’ properties in Miami and Los Angeles in March this year. Among the items seized by law enforcement were AR-15 rifles, ammunition and a large capacity drum magazine. They also seized electronic evidence of the “freak offs” held by Combs.
Diddy's lawyer said he has been "cooperative," but US Attorney disagrees
After Diddy’s arrest on Monday night, his attorney said the hip-hop star had been “cooperative” with investigators.
“To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges,” attorney Marc Agnifilo told CNN.
However, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York pushed back on that characterization in a news conference Tuesday.
“Generally, and with increasing frequency, the word cooperative or cooperating has taken on tremendous elasticity, and it no longer really bears any relation to what the word means when we use it in a very specific context,” US Attorney Damian Williams said.
Guns and 1,000 bottles of lubricant seized by authorities, US attorney says
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams has outlined some of the items seized from raids on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ properties in Miami and Los Angeles in March this year.
Among the items seized by law enforcement were AR-15 rifles, ammunition and a large capacity drum magazine. They also seized electronic evidence of the “freak offs” held by Combs.
The indictment released Tuesday described a “freak off” as a sex performance in which Combs allegedly organized the transportation of commercial sex workers across state lines and internationally. These events “occurred regularly, sometimes lasted multiple days, and often involved multiple commercial sex workers,” it said.
The attorney pointed to the drum magazine on a poster board at a news conference as he outlined what had been seized.
US attorney alleges Diddy “used others to help conceal his abuse”
US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams alleged that Sean “Diddy” Combs used his business associates, staff and others “to help conceal his abuse.”
These individuals allegedly included high ranking supervisors, personal assistants, security and household staff, who “facilitated the ‘freak offs.’ They booked the hotel rooms and stocked them with the supplies, including drugs, baby oil, personal lubricant, extra linens and lighting. When the hotel rooms got damaged, they cleaned it up.”
Williams also alleged that these associates “arranged for victims and commercial sex workers to travel for the ‘freak offs,’” and delivered large quantities of cash to Combs “to pay for the commercial sex workers.”
US attorney says New York prosecutors are embracing the 'scope and complexity' of Combs investigation
US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams expressed his confidence in prosecuting Sean “Diddy” Combs’ case in New York.
“We have an outstanding track record of bringing some of the most impactful sprawling complex (and) difficult, sex trafficking, human trafficking, labor trafficking (cases). You name it, the Southern District of New York can do it,” he said, responding to a question about why Combs was being prosecuted in the state when search warrants were previously executed at Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles.
Williams added that “the scope and complexity of this investigation isn’t something that we ran from.” “It’s something that we embrace and we will continue to do that,” he said.
Prosecutors are seeking to detain Diddy behind bars before trial
Prosecutors are seeking to detain Sean “Diddy” Combs ahead of trial, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said Tuesday.
The federal prosecutors filed a letter with the court explaining their reasoning, but Williams did not elaborate on the details it contained.
“There is a presumption of detention in a case like this, and we think that’s warranted,” he said.
"We are not done. This investigation is ongoing," New York US attorney says
The investigation into Sean “Diddy” Combs is still ongoing, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said on Tuesday.
Williams noted that Combs was given a key to New York City just last year, and has now been arrested and charged.
Williams said that anyone with information can call 1-877-4-HSI-TIP. His office also shared an email in its news release:Sextrafficking_outreach@hsi.dhs.gov
The official thanked the witnesses and victims who have “used their voices and helped bring this criminal conduct to light. We would not be here without them.” He also thanked the agents who have helped on the case.
Asked by a reporter if there could be other charges brought related to this, Williams said, “I’m not taking anything off the table.”
This post has been updated with more details from Williams on next steps in the case.
Diddy allegedly plied party drugs to victims during extended "Freak Offs"
Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly gave victims a series of party drugs during extended sex performances he called “Freak Offs,” US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said Tuesday.
“As alleged, Combs used force, threats of force and coercion to cause victims to engage in extended sexual performances with male commercial sex workers, some of whom he transported or caused to be transported over state lines,” he said.
Combs allegedly planned and controlled the sex performances, which he called “Freak Offs,” and he often electronically recorded them.
No comments:
Post a Comment