Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Federal Indictment Unveils Shocking Allegations Against Sean 'Diddy' Combs

Sean Combs, the music mogul and entrepreneur known as Diddy, was indicted Tuesday on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, following a federal investigation and a pair of raids earlier this year. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York unsealed the 14-page indictment, revealing details of a case that has cast a shadow over Combs's decades-long career.

Combs, 54, was arrested Monday evening at a Manhattan hotel, his attorney Marc Agnifilo confirmed. Federal prosecutors allege that Combs turned his business empire into a "criminal enterprise" involved in a range of illegal activities, including kidnapping, arson, and forced labor.

Standing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky on Tuesday, Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges. The judge is expected to decide soon whether the hip-hop icon will remain in custody pending trial.

"We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office," Agnifilo said. "Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person but not a criminal."

The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges otherwise. Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, described Combs's conduct as a "recurrent and widely known pattern of abuse" during a press conference on Tuesday. Williams said the mogul coerced women into fulfilling his sexual desires and used threats, drugs, and violence to maintain control over his victims.

The indictment alleges that Combs, along with his associates, orchestrated what were referred to as “freak off” parties, highly produced sexual performances involving commercial sex workers, which were recorded without many victims' consent. Prosecutors claim Combs distributed drugs like ketamine, ecstasy, and GHB to keep his victims compliant. During the March raids on Combs’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami, authorities seized over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant, which were used during these performances.

Williams revealed that law enforcement also confiscated multiple AR-15 rifles with scratched-off serial numbers, found in Combs’s Miami home, along with large-capacity magazines and additional evidence related to the crimes alleged in the indictment.

Combs’s legal troubles have intensified since November 2023, when he was named in ten lawsuits, including nine involving allegations of sexual misconduct. While Combs has consistently denied wrongdoing, his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, also known as the singer Cassie, filed a bombshell lawsuit last year, accusing him of rape, sex trafficking, and years of physical and emotional abuse. That case was settled swiftly, but more accusers have come forward since.

The indictment includes claims that Combs manipulated women into performing sexual acts under the pretense of romantic relationships and threatened to cut off financial support to maintain control over them. Some women were reportedly sent into hiding for days to conceal their abuse. In one instance, Combs allegedly kidnapped a person at gunpoint and later set fire to their vehicle using a Molotov cocktail in 2011, an act eerily similar to accusations made by Ventura in her suit, which stated that Combs blew up rapper Kid Cudi’s car in 2012.

The charges, combined with ongoing legal battles, have taken a toll on Combs’s business ventures. He recently sold his stakes in Revolt, the cable network he co-founded, and DeLeón tequila, a partnership with Diageo. His Los Angeles mansion, where federal agents carried out one of the raids, was listed for sale earlier this year for $61.5 million.

Despite the mounting allegations, Agnifilo maintained Combs’s innocence. "Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation. He voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges," Agnifilo said.

Prosecutors, however, are seeking Combs's pretrial detention, arguing that he poses a serious flight risk and could obstruct justice. Williams told reporters that Combs has made efforts to tamper with witnesses, suggesting that he attempted to conceal his actions from individuals who had received grand jury subpoenas.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has requested that Tarnofsky deny bail, citing that no conditions of release could "reasonably assure the safety of others" while Combs remains free.

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Monday, September 16, 2024

Sean Combs Taken Into Custody Following Federal Indictment

Sean Combs, the music mogul and entrepreneur known as Diddy, was arrested Monday evening in Manhattan following a sealed grand jury indictment, according to his attorney and federal prosecutors. While the exact charges remain undisclosed, sources familiar with the investigation suggest they may include racketeering and sex trafficking.

Combs, 54, was taken into custody at a Manhattan hotel, his attorney Marc Agnifilo confirmed.

"We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Agnifilo said. He added that Combs has been cooperating fully with the investigation and “relocated to New York last week in anticipation of being charged.”

“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person but not a criminal,” Agnifilo said. “These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Federal prosecutors are expected to unseal the indictment on Tuesday, according to Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

"We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time,” Williams said.

Combs is facing mounting legal troubles. In addition to the indictment, he has been the subject of a months-long federal investigation into allegations of sex trafficking, which included raids by federal agents on his Los Angeles and Miami homes in March.

Earlier this year, CNN reported that federal prosecutors were preparing to bring Combs’s accusers before a grand jury, signaling the government’s intent to seek an indictment. Since November 2023, Combs has been named in ten lawsuits, nine of which accuse him of sexual misconduct, including sexual assault.

While Combs has vehemently denied any wrongdoing in the lawsuits, he issued a public apology after CNN released surveillance footage in May showing him assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie (Casandra Ventura) in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.

The lawsuit filed by Cassie last November described years of abuse, including claims that Combs forced her into drug-fueled sexual encounters and abused her physically and emotionally. That suit was settled swiftly, with Combs continuing to deny any wrongdoing. However, five additional women have come forward with civil suits, alleging similar misconduct.

A prolific producer, Combs is credited with helping bring hip-hop into the mainstream, launching the careers of artists such as The Notorious B.I.G. and Mary J. Blige through his label Bad Boy Entertainment. His career flourished throughout the 1990s and 2000s, and he expanded his empire into fashion, liquor, and television, including the reality competition show "Making the Band" on MTV. He also co-founded the cable network Revolt and launched his latest business venture, Love Records, under which he released his album "The Love Album: Off the Grid" in 2023.

However, the legal battles are taking a toll on Combs’s brand. He has sold his stake in Revolt and his share of DeLeón tequila, a partnership with the spirits conglomerate Diageo. His Los Angeles mansion in the Holmby Hills neighborhood, where federal agents carried out a raid in March, was recently listed for sale at $61.5 million.

Combs’s attorney and legal team continue to push back against the charges.

“Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation,” Agnifilo said. “He relocated to New York voluntarily and looks forward to clearing his name.”

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Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson Dies at Age 70

Gabriel González, via Wikimedia Commons
Tito Jackson, a founding member of the iconic Jackson 5 and brother to Michael, Jermaine, Jackie, and Marlon, died Sunday at 70.

His death was first reported by "Entertainment Tonight," citing family friend and associate Steve Manning, who said Jackson likely suffered a heart attack while driving. The official cause of death is pending.

Jackson's sons, T.J., Taj, and Taryll, confirmed the news on Instagram. "It is with heavy hearts that we announce our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson, is no longer with us," they wrote. "We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. ... It will forever be 'Tito Time' for us."

Jackson, the third of Joe and Katherine Jackson's nine children, began playing guitar at 10. After being caught by his father using one of his guitars, Joe bought Tito his own. This small act of encouragement led to the formation of the Jackson 5, with Tito's guitar work complementing his brothers' vocals and choreography.

The Motown group skyrocketed to fame in the late 1960s with hits like "I Want You Back" and "ABC." Blending soul, pop, and rhythm and blues, the group became international stars, performing on shows like "The Ed Sullivan Show" and dominating the charts.


Despite the fame, Tito's role in the group was often overshadowed by the immense success of his brother Michael. While Michael became one of the world's most recognizable solo artists, Tito continued to play guitar and perform with the family group, even as they transitioned from Motown to Epic Records in the mid-1970s, becoming The Jacksons. Hits like "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" and the Mick Jagger collaboration "State of Shock" kept the group in the spotlight.
In 1997, Tito Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5. His guitar playing, initially limited to live performances, became a larger part of the group's sound after their move to Epic. Tito eventually launched his own career as a blues musician, releasing his debut solo album, "Tito Time," in 2016, followed by "Under Your Spell" in 2021. He collaborated with artists like Stevie Wonder, George Benson and Joe Bonamassa on his final album.

Jackson's sons also pursued careers in music, forming the group 3T in the mid-1990s. Their debut album, "Brotherhood," co-produced by Michael Jackson, was a commercial success.

He is the second member of the original Jackson 5 to die, following Michael Jackson in 2009. Michael was 50.

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