The well-known music entrepreneur Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been charged with three major offences: prostitute trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.
Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York unveiled the indictment on Tuesday, depicting Combs as the head of a “criminal enterprise” that allegedly engaged in the mistreatment, exploitation, and coercion of women for many years.
Combs, 54, is charged in the indictment with overseeing an operation that included a number of unlawful crimes, such as forced labour, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors also claim that Combs’ staff played a key role in assisting him in carrying out these crimes.
However, Marc Agnifilo, his attorney, expressed disappointment over the choice to press what they saw as an unfair case.
Combs is scheduled to appear later on Tuesday for his arraignment at a federal courthouse in Manhattan.
Following a raid on two of his houses in Miami and Los Angeles in March, which was allegedly conducted as part of a “ongoing investigation” into sex trafficking, he was arrested in Manhattan.
The fact that Combs, a legendary figure in the music business, is now facing serious charges that have the potential to destroy his career and reputation, is a significant development in the case against him.
It is anticipated that the prosecution’s case would go into great length regarding the specifics of the alleged illegal actions and the degree of Combs’ corporate empire’s involvement.