What allegations are being made against hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs?

Sean “Diddy” Combs, the hip-hop mogul facing a barrage of sexual harassment allegations from women, was arrested late Monday in New York after being indicted by a federal grand jury.

The indictment remained sealed and details of the charges were not immediately released by prosecutors, but U.S. Attorney in Manhattan Damian Williams confirmed in a statement that federal agents had Combs in custody.

“We expect to be able to unseal the indictment tomorrow morning and will have more to say then,” Williams said in a statement.

Who is P Diddy/Puff Daddy/Sean Combs?

As founder of Bad Boy Records, Combs became one of the most influential hip-hop producers and managers of the past three decades. In addition to Notorious BIG, he has worked with a number of high-profile artists, including Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112.

When the allegations emerged, Combs' role in his business ventures outside of music – including lucrative private label liquor, a media company and the Sean John clothing line – took a major blow.

What happened to P Diddy on Monday?

Combs was arrested in the lobby of a Manhattan hotel, according to a person familiar with the arrest who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said Combs was cooperating with the investigation and moved to New York last week in anticipation of possible indictment.

“We are disappointed by the U.S. Attorney's decision to continue what we believe is an unjustified prosecution of Mr. Combs,” Mr. Agnifilo said in a statement, adding that his client was a “family man.”

“He is an imperfect human being, but not a criminal,” Mr Agnifilo added. “Please wait to pass judgment until you know all the facts. These are the actions of an innocent man who has nothing to hide and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

The criminal complaint represents a serious but not unexpected attack on one of the most significant producers and famous names in hip-hop history.

What happened during the raid in Miami?

The federal investigation into Combs, 58, came to light when Department of Homeland Security agents simultaneously executed search warrants and raided Combs' mansions in Los Angeles and Miami on March 25.

A day after the raids, his lawyer Aaron Dyer described them as “a gross use of military force” and said the allegations were “baseless”.

What accusations are being made against him?

Combs, then known as Puff Daddy, was the partner and producer of Notorious BIG, who was shot in 1997, and was at the center of the hip-hop battles between the East and West Coasts of the 1990s.

Like many others who survived that era, his public image had mellowed with age. He was now seen as a posh party host in Hollywood and the Hamptons, a fashion-conscious businessman and a loving father who spoiled his children, some of whom lost their mother, Kim Porter, in 2018.

But a different picture emerged in November when his former protégé and girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, became the first of several people to sue him for sexual abuse, alleging a steady stream of sex workers in drug-fueled environments where some of those involved were coerced or persuaded to have sex.

What did Cassie say in her lawsuit?

In her November lawsuit, Cassie alleged years of abuse, including beating and rape. Her lawsuit also alleged that Combs engaged in sex trafficking by “forcing her to perform forced sexual acts in multiple jurisdictions” and “harboring and transporting plaintiff for the purposes of sex coerced by force, fraud or coercion.”

It is also alleged that he forced her to help him traffic male sex workers. Combs allegedly forced Cassie to have sex while he was filming.

The case was settled the next day, but the aftermath lingered much longer. Combs lost his last allies, supporters and those who were still holding out for judgment when CNN aired a leaked video in May of him allegedly punching, kicking and throwing Cassie to the ground in a hotel hallway.

The next day, in a social media video, Combs posted his first genuine admission of wrongdoing since the flood of allegations began, apologizing, saying, “I was disgusted when I did it” and “I'm disgusted now, too.” Cassie's lawsuit was followed by at least half a dozen more in the months that followed.

What was said in the other lawsuits?

In February, a music producer filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of forcing him to solicit prostitutes and pressuring him to have sex with them.

Another of Combs' accusers was a woman who claimed the rap producer raped her two decades ago when she was 17.

April Lampros, another woman who filed the lawsuit, said she met Combs as a college student in 1994 and that there were a series of “terrifying sexual encounters” with Combs and those around him that lasted for years.

Combs and his lawyers denied almost all of the allegations in the lawsuit.