Diddy Denies New Sexual Battery Allegation Amid Ongoing Legal Troubles
A new investigation has been launched into allegations of sexual battery against Sean “Diddy” Combs, while the rap mogul is currently serving a prison sentence for separate federal charges. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed it is in the preliminary stages of investigating the claim, which reportedly stems from an incident in 2020.
The allegations center around a music producer who claims he was assaulted during a photoshoot at a Los Angeles warehouse. According to reports from US media outlets, the producer alleges Combs exposed himself and pressured him to participate in sexual acts, and then discarded a shirt when the producer refused.
“Let me make it absolutely clear, Mr. Combs categorically denies as false and defamatory all claims that he sexually abused anyone,” stated one of Combs’ attorneys, Jonathan Davis, in a statement to the BBC. “He looks forward to vindicating himself in court, where such matters are decided—and not in the media—based on admissible, material evidence, not rank speculation and unsubstantiated allegations.”
The sheriff’s department’s special victim’s bureau is handling the investigation, but officials have indicated that further details will not be released “given the sensitivity of the case.”
This new allegation arrives as Combs faces a multitude of other accusations. Dozens of individuals, including several alleging they were underage at the time of the incidents, have filed civil lawsuits against the music mogul, alleging sexual assault and being drugged. Some lawsuits claim Combs leveraged promises of career advancement or issued threats to silence accusers.
Earlier this year, Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution in a New York trial. He received a 50-month sentence last month, following a high-profile case that alleged a sprawling sex-trafficking operation. Testimony during the trial included statements from rapper Kid Cudi and Combs’ former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. Despite being acquitted of the most serious charges, which carried a potential life sentence, Combs expressed remorse before his sentencing.
“I lost my way,” Combs wrote to the judge. “My downfall was rooted in my selfishness. I have been humbled and broken to my core.”
Combs is currently incarcerated in New Jersey, serving his sentence. The latest allegations add another layer to the complex legal challenges facing the once-dominant figure in the music industry.
