Sept. 17 (UPI) — Embattled entertainment mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs was charged with multiple crimes in a federal indictment unsealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday.
The indictment, unsealed after Combs was arrested Monday night at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, charged him with sex trafficking by force, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy.
It charged that Combs engaged in verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse as he led an “enterprise that he engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor or, kidnapping arson and other crime.”
The indictment alleges that Combs transported commercial sex workers across state and international borders and manipulated women to “participate in highly orchestrated performances of sexual activity with make commercial sex workers.”
Combs leveraged control over their careers, financial support as well as intimidation and violence to coerce the women into these acts, the indictment said.
“Sometimes unbeknownst to the victims, Combs kept videos he filmed of victims engaging in sex acts with commercial sex workers,” federal prosecutors added.
Marc Agnifilo, Combs’ attorney, called the indictment an “unjust prosecution” and the arrest tactics unnecessary since his client has cooperated with an investigation into him without resistance.
“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,” he said. “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 he is not a criminal. To his credit, Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.”
Agnifilo added that Combs would plead not guilty and would “fight this with all of his energy and all of his might and the full confidence of his lawyers.”
Federal agents raided Combs’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami in March in connection with the investigation. Combs has denied charges in the federal investigation and other criminal claims against him.
