Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.Already have an account? Login
Sean “Diddy” Combs was indicted on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering on Tuesday, September 17, one day after his arrest in New York.
A 14-page indictment, unsealed on Tuesday, details a barrage of accusations against the rapper. Diddy “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him,” the indictment states. Some of the alleged incidents, which the indictment claimed were carried out to fulfill “his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct,” date back to 2009.
Diddy “engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals,” the indictment continues. “This abuse was, at times, verbal, emotional, physical and sexual.”
The document also noted that he allegedly “manipulated women” to “participate in highly orchestrated performances,” which are detailed elsewhere in the indictment.
Sean “Diddy” Combs has faced a lot of ups and downs in his career and personal life. Diddy began his career in the ‘90s as an intern for Uptown Records after dropping out of Howard University. He worked his way up to become a talent director at the label and went on to help develop […]
Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, confirmed Diddy’s arrest via social media on Monday. The music mogul’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, also spoke out about the arrest in a statement to Us.
“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. “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 concluded: “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. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the accusations against Diddy:
Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
1. The ‘Freak Offs’
Diddy would orchestrate what were called “Freak Offs,” according to the indictment. These were “elaborate and produced sex performances,” often taking place in hotel rooms, which were arranged and directed by Diddy, who allegedly “masturbated during, and often electronically recorded” them.
The music mogul and his business associates would allegedly “lure female victims” into his inner circle “often under the pretense of a romantic relationship.” He would then use “force, threats of force and coercion to cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers.”
During these “Freak Offs,” Diddy allegedly “distributed a variety of controlled substances to victims” to keep them “obedient and compliant” during sex acts. Both Diddy and the alleged victims “received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use” after the acts.
2. What Was Found During the Homeland Security Raid
Evidence of the “Freak Offs” was allegedly discovered in Diddy’s Miami and Beverly Hills residences, which were raided this past March in connection with a federal sex trafficking investigation.
“Law enforcement seized various ‘Freak Off’ supplies, including narcotics and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant,” the indictment read. Elsewhere in the documents, it was revealed that Homeland Security “seized firearms and ammunition, including three AR-15s with defaced serial numbers, as well as a drum magazine.”
Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment
3. Arson
Diddy was accused of “arson” several times throughout the indictment. While further details about the alleged crime were not detailed, the document claimed there were “multiple acts” of arson, which are all chargeable under the California Penal Code.
Some companies appear to be distancing themselves from Sean “Diddy” Combs as the rapper continues to face sexual assault allegations. In recent months, multiple women have come forward to share allegations of misconduct by the music mogul. One individual who filed a lawsuit was his ex-girlfriend Cassie. (The exes dated on and off from 2007 […]
4. The Cassie Video
In May, a video of Diddy assaulting ex-girlfriend Cassie at a hotel in 2016 was released publicly. The music mogul allegedly “attempted to bribe the staff member to ensure silence” after the incident once a hotel employee stepped in, according to the indictment.
Cassie — who dated Diddy on and off from 2007 to 2018 — accused him of abuse in a November 2023 lawsuit, which was settled one day later. Diddy denied her allegations.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images for MRC
5. Employees of Combs Enterprise Were Allegedly Involved
While most of the indictment named Diddy, his company, Combs Enterprise, was also implicated in the alleged crimes.
“Members and associates of the Combs Enterprise engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other activities, sex trafficking, forced labor, interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, coercion and enticement to engage in prostitution, narcotics offenses, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice,” the indictment reads. The “enterprise” referred to the organization’s “leadership, its members and its associates.”
