Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is the target of investigation, source says

The probe is being led by the US Legal professional for the Southern District of New York and carried out by the Division of Homeland Safety Investigations’ (HSI) Transnational Organised Crime Division, the official advised CNN.

HSI is chargeable for investigating transnational crime and threats, together with human trafficking, terrorism, narcotics smuggling and different organised felony exercise.

The investigation stems from lots of the identical sexual assault allegations put forth in a number of civil lawsuits in opposition to Combs, in keeping with a second legislation enforcement supply accustomed to yesterday’s searches. Combs has beforehand denied these allegations.

Closely armed groups of HSI brokers searched Combs’ houses in Los Angeles and the Miami space – some using in armoured automobiles, partially as a result of authorities believed Combs employs armed personal safety at every of his residences, the primary supply mentioned.

Brokers have been processing paperwork on card tables outdoors the Miami-area dwelling, and cellular command put up automobiles have been seen at each properties.

Brokers have been authorised to seek for paperwork, telephones, computer systems and different digital units that maintain knowledge or movies, the second legislation enforcement supply mentioned.

A legislation enforcement supply earlier mentioned the searches have been associated to an ongoing intercourse trafficking investigation.

HSI in New York mentioned it “executed legislation enforcement actions as a part of an ongoing investigation” in cooperation with native legislation enforcement and HSI items in Los Angeles and Miami, and would “present additional data because it turns into out there.”

5 lawsuits alleged sexual misconduct

Combs has been accused of sexual misconduct in 5 separate lawsuits filed in latest months – allegations the star has repeatedly denied. It’s unclear which allegations are included within the federal probe.

In November, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed a lawsuit in opposition to Combs, her former boyfriend, in federal courtroom in New York’s Southern District.

The choice to settle the swimsuit was “under no circumstances an admission of wrongdoing,” Ben Brafman, a lawyer for Combs, mentioned in an announcement on the time.

“Mr. Combs’ choice to settle the lawsuit doesn’t in any method undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He’s comfortable they obtained to a mutual settlement and desires Ms. Ventura the perfect.”

Per week later, Joi Dickerson-Neal filed a swimsuit in New York accusing Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting her in 1991.

She additionally alleged she was a sufferer of “revenge porn” by the music artist.

In December, an nameless girl known as Jane Doe filed a federal lawsuit accusing Combs of intercourse trafficking and gang rape in 2003, when she was 17.

In courtroom filings, Combs formally denied the allegations made within the December swimsuit.

He advised the courtroom the lawsuit must be dismissed as a result of the lady’s “choice to attend greater than 20 years to file her criticism has prejudiced” him as a result of he has “misplaced the flexibility to defend himself absolutely and pretty.”

He additionally argued the proof could now be “unavailable, misplaced, or compromised” and that “witness identification, availability, and recollections are seemingly compromised because of the substantial passage of time.”

Additional, one in every of Combs’ former staff, producer and videographer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, filed a lawsuit final month accusing Combs of sexual assault and main a “widespread and harmful felony intercourse trafficking organisation,” amongst different allegations. The swimsuit was filed in federal courtroom in New York’s southern district.

Combs’ lawyer denied the allegations and referred to as Jones’ claims “lies.”

“His reckless name-dropping about occasions which are pure fiction and easily didn’t occur is nothing greater than a clear try and garner headlines. Now we have overwhelming, indeniable proof that his claims are full lies,” Diddy’s lawyer, Shawn Holley, mentioned final month.

Moreover, in an amended criticism on March 12, initially filed in New York in November, Liza Gardner accused Combs and singer Aaron Corridor of battery and sexual assault in 1990, when she was 16 years previous.

Based on the swimsuit, Gardner and a good friend met Combs and Corridor, on the time a member of the R&B group Man, at an occasion.

At a dinner afterward, Combs and Corridor have been “very flirtatious and handsy” with Gardner and her good friend and supplied them drinks all through the evening, regardless of being underage, the swimsuit states.

Combs and Corridor then invited the 2 to Corridor’s residence for an afterparty, at which level Gardner was “supplied extra drinks and was bodily pressured into having intercourse with Combs in opposition to her will.”

She was “shocked and traumatised,” the swimsuit states, and as she was getting dressed, Corridor got here into the room, pinned her down and compelled her to have intercourse. She then obtained dressed and ran out of the residence, the swimsuit states.

The subsequent day, an “irate” Combs got here to the house the place she and her good friend have been staying and “started assaulting and choking Ms. Gardner to the purpose that she handed out,” the lawsuit states.

CNN has reached out to Corridor for remark. He has not but publicly spoken concerning the allegations.

In a December assertion, Combs denied the claims in all of the fits.

“Sufficient is sufficient. For the final couple of weeks, I’ve sat silently and watched folks attempt to assassinate my character, destroy my fame and my legacy,” Combs mentioned.

“Sickening allegations have been made in opposition to me by people on the lookout for a fast payday. Let me be completely clear: I didn’t do any of the terrible issues being alleged. I’ll combat for my identify, my household and for the reality.”

A number of of the lawsuits allege that the misconduct was captured on video.

In Ventura’s swimsuit, she mentioned Combs used his telephone, laptop computer and pill to movie their sexual interactions.

In Dickerson-Neal’s swimsuit, she alleged she was a sufferer of “revenge porn,” saying Combs filmed her sexual assault and confirmed the video to others.

And in Jones’ swimsuit, he alleged he has “tons of of hours of footage and audio recordings of Mr. Combs, his employees, and his friends participating in critical criminality.”