Diddy spotted for first time since massive armed police raid on his homes
Topics: Diddy, Los Angeles, US News, Celebrity, Crime
Emily Brown
Featured Image Credit: Paras Griffin / Contributor/Fox 11 News
Topics: Diddy, Los Angeles, US News, Celebrity, Crime
The first footage of Diddy has emerged after armed officers with Homeland Security raided his homes in Los Angeles and Miami.
The rapper, whose real name is Sean Combs, was subject to the raids in connection with a sex trafficking investigation being conducted by federal agents.
It's unclear if Combs is the target of the federal agents' investigation, but Homeland Security Investigations confirmed the raid in a statement yesterday (25 March).
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Law enforcement sources told ABC that Diddy's sons Justin and Christian were detained outside the home, as is customary in these sorts of operations, and released without charge.
"Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners," it said.
"We will provide further information as it becomes available."
Combs has not publicly commented on the matter at the time of writing (26 March), but TMZ has obtained a video of the rapper filmed in the aftermath of the raid.
In the clip, Combs could be seen wearing a white shirt and blue trousers as he paced in a circle around Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport.
The footage was obtained around 3pm PT on 25 March, just a couple of hours after the raid took place on a warrant out of the Southern District of New York.
According to eyewitnesses cited by TMZ, Combs and some other people got stopped by federal agents at the airport, though the footage shows he was not detained.
The witnesses claimed the footage showed Combs as he waited for other people in his party.
Three law enforcement sources told NBC News Homeland Security officials seized phones from Combs before he was scheduled to leave Miami on a trip to the Bahamas.
A source familiar with the proceedings also told the publication on Monday that federal officials in Manhattan had interviewed three women and a man in relation to allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms.
The source added that three other subjects are also scheduled.
The raids come after Combs was sued by his ex-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, in November over allegations of rape and abuse. Ventura alleged she had been subject to 'over a decade' of Combs' 'violent behavior and disturbed demands'.
Combs denied the claims at the time through a representative, telling Fox News: "Mr. Combs vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations. For the past six months, Mr. Combs has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail.
"Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’s reputation and seeking a payday."
Combs and Ventura reached a settlement shortly after the lawsuit was filed.
UNILAD has reached out to representatives of Combs and Homeland Security Investigations for comment.