On the night of Tuesday Norwegian time, two of hip-hop star Sean “Diddy” Combs’ (54) homes were searched in connection with a lawsuit in which he is accused of human trafficking and abuse.
AP and New York Times is among the media who write that his properties in both Los Angeles and Miami were searched by agents from the United States Department of Homeland Security, who confirm that they conducted a raid.
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– Earlier today, investigators from the US Department of Homeland Security in New York carried out actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from agents in Los Angeles and Miami. We will provide more information as soon as we have it, they say in a statement to AP.
Prince Harry named in lawsuit
The investigation against Combs, which is ongoing in New York, started when his ex-girlfriend Casandra Ventura (37) – known by her stage name Cassie, took legal action against him last year. The case ended in a settlement in November last year.
However, she is not alone. Since then, more people have come forward with accusations, and in recent months there have been at least four lawsuits against the rapper – who denies all the accusations.
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Music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones is among those who have reported and sued Combs. He claims the artist pressured him to have sex with prostitutes, and writes in the lawsuit that the 54-year-old used his famous network as a lure to what he describes as “sex parties” at Combs.
According to the court documents, which Daily Mail has gained access to, guests were lured to the rapper’s parties because of his “access to celebrities such as famous athletes, political figures, artists, musicians and British royals, such as Prince Harry”.
For the record, the British prince is not part of the investigation, beyond the fact that he is mentioned in one of the lawsuits. The British prince met Combs and Kanye West after a concert at Wembley Stadium in 2007, but it is not known if they have met on subsequent occasions. Prince William (41) also attended the concert and was pictured with the artists, but he is not mentioned in the lawsuit.
Claims she was subjected to gang rape
Another woman who has recently accused Combs of sexual assault claims she was transported from Detroit to New York in 2003, aged just 17. There, according to the accusation, she was allegedly gang-raped in a recording studio.
The anonymous woman’s defender, who also represents Ventura, supports the police’s work:
“Hopefully this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs accountable for his grotesque behavior,” says attorney Douglas Wigdor.
Sean “Diddy Combs”, on the other hand, denies all the accusations.
The 54-year-old says those behind the accusations against him are only looking for a quick financial gain. His lawyer has not yet commented on the search, which was carried out by federal agents from the Homeland Security agency. Local police authorities contributed to the search, the agency says.