Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in Antigua as feds raid his houses on sex trafficking charges

Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs is said to have landed in Antigua recently, amid intrigue surrounding raids on two of his properties in Los Angeles and Miami by federal Homeland Security Investigations agents and associated agencies on Monday, as a part of a sex trafficking probe. The sex trafficking investigation is based in New York, the old stomping ground of the world-famous music producer and Hip-Hop Moghul.

The officials involved in the investigation refrained from giving out details of the case and it is unclear whether ‘Diddy’ is the focus of their inquiries.

The Department of Homeland Security issued the following statement on the matter, “We executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”

This investigation is said to be in relation to the various sexual assault lawsuits that have been filed against Combs in recent months, hinting at a wider conspiracy since there is a suspicion of sex trafficking.

Combs was accused in February of forcing a music producer to solicit prostitutes and engaging in intercourse with them. The subsequent lawsuit drew a response from Combs’ attorney Shawn Holley, who said, “we have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies.”

The R&B singer Cassie, who is one of Combs’ former girlfriends, filed a suit against him in which she accused him of sexually assaulting and raping her for many years. According to the lawsuit, Combs forced her to have sex with male prostitutes while he filmed her.

In an interesting turn of events, the case was settled the day after it was filed. Another woman accuses Combs of raping her two decades ago when she was 17, which puts him on very shaky grounds with the authorities.

Combs, formerly known as Puff Daddy, is seen as one of the most influential hip hop producers and executives since his rise in the 90s. He is also a three-time Grammy winner and founder of Bad Boy Records, having risen to the top with the Notorious BIG. He also worked with artists like Mary J Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans, and 112.

Through his many ventures, Combs amassed an empire which was path breaking for many aspiring rappers and producers of the time.

Another two women have also filed suits against Combs and these accusations go back to New York in the 90s, when Combs was a talent director, party promoter and beginning to become an influential figure in the East Coast Hip Hop scene.

Joi Dickerson, one of the accusers, has stated that she was a 19-year-old student of the Syracuse University, when she agreed to go out with Combs to a restaurant in Harlem, back in 1991. According to her allegations, Combs drugged her, brought her home and sexually assaulted her.

She added that apparently, Combs recorded the assault without her knowledge and shared it with several other members of the music industry. Dickerson has said that the public humiliation forced her into depression, which ended up putting her in a hospital, forcing her to drop out of college.

In another lawsuit filed against Combs, an unnamed woman accused him and R&B singer Aaron Hall of sexually assaulting her and one of her friends, before beating her several days later.

She stated that following a music event in 1990 or 1991, she went back to Hall’s residence where she was coerced to have sex with Combs initially, Hall then proceeded to barge into the room and assault her sexually. She added that her friend recounted a similar situation where Combs forced himself on her after Hall in another room. The suit refers to the unnamed woman as Jane Doe.

The suit against Combs states the following, “Upon information and belief, when Combs finished with Jane Doe, he and Hall switched, and they commenced assaulting Jane Doe’s friend.”

Combs is said to have arrived at the two women’s residence a few days later in an aggravated stated and apparently choked Jane Doe till she passed out, in an attempt to keep her from revealing the abuse she suffered.

While Hall did not respond to any inquiries on the matter, a spokesperson for Combs said that the allegations were false and that the women were making an attempt to use outdated New York state laws to their benefit.

Tyrone Blackburn, who is one of Jane Doe’s representatives in this case, stated that she was in the process of gathering medical reports and written statements which support her allegations.

Dickerson’s suit mentions that she filed reports of the alleged abuse in New York and New Jersey but the police have not furnished any details regarding the validity of the claim.

Dickerson has also stated that she approached many of her friends in the music industry to confirm the existence of the tape Combs was using to blackmail her but could not get help since most were afraid of the professional consequences of going against Combs.

Combs who is now 54, went on from these incidents to become the founder of Bad Boy Records, making a name for himself as the man who produced music for the likes of Biggie Smalls, propelling him to the top of the New York rap industry.

Following these allegations, Combs’ private Gulfstream 5 named ‘LoveAir LLC’ was seen leaving Los Angeles and is said to have landed in Antigua on Monday evening. While this intrigue unfolded, Homeland security raided two of Combs’ properties, one in Miami and another in LA itself.

It is speculated that the raid resulted in the collection of material which incriminated Combs but these speculations remain unconfirmed. It has been confirmed though that two of Combs’ sons were taken into custody by federal agents, although it is unclear whether they have been charged separately or not.