Sean Combs aka Puff Daddy at MTV Europe Music Awards in Dublin, 11st November 1999. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale/Sygma via Getty Images) Sean Combs aka Puff Daddy at MTV Europe Music Awards in Dublin, 11st November 1999. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale/Sygma via Getty Images) Sean Combs aka Puff Daddy at MTV Europe Music Awards in Dublin, 11st November 1999. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale/Sygma via Getty Images)
In the last ten months, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ reputation as a hip hop legend has taken hit after hit with multiple lawsuits. Ironically, allegedly not keeping his hands (and body parts) to himself throughout his career is the reason.
The man once known for award-winning music, funding schools for the unprivileged, and throwing exclusive parties is now being associated with disgraced and predatory entertainment moguls. That list includes Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, and Harvey Weinstein, to name just a few.
On Monday (Sept. 16), the FBI arrested Combs at a hotel in New York City. Approximately 30 minutes before being detained, Diddy was filmed having a conversation in a city street. Feds have charged him with three felony charges, including racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Diddy’s arrest follows ten months of back-to-back lawsuits against him, namely citing sexual misconduct. Much of those accusations are cited in the feds’ 14-page indictment. Additionally, the paperwork details some evidence, including weapons and more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant, found at his mansions from raids earlier this year.
Combs appeared in court on Tuesday, Sept. 17, and prosecutors sought pre-trial detention. A judge granted the request and remanded Brother Love into custody after denying his $50 million bond proposal. The following day, a second judge denied his bail appeal. This means the producer will remain behind bars throughout his forthcoming trial.
According to The Cut, in less than a year, Sean Combs has faced at least 12 lawsuits related to sexual assault and abuse. Two arrived in May for alleged assaults in the late 90s and early 2000s. Earlier this month, former Dainty Kane member Dawn Richard came forward with sexual abuse allegations. Most recently, a woman has accused Combs and his former bodyguard of raping her and recording the assault.
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of Diddy’s settled and pending lawsuits.
In her Nov. 2023 lawsuit, Cassie exposed another side of her public relationship with Diddy from 2007 to 2018. She labeled the romantic and sexual aspects of it “manipulative and coercive, “accusing Combs of sexually assaulting, abusing, and trafficking her.
Within a day, Diddy settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. At the time, his lawyer insisted in a statement that the settlement was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing.”
“Mr. Combs‘ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best,” the lawyer said.
Exactly six months after the Nov. 17 settlement announcement, surveillance footage surfaced of Diddy’s abuse. He was seen dragging, kicking, and throwing a glass vase at Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. Despite Diddy’s lawyer standing on his innocence, the footage corroborates at least one incident of abuse Cassie described in the lawsuit.
Days after the footage became public via CNN, Diddy apologized for his past actions, but not specifically to Cassie or any other alleged victim. Reports later claimed he was restricted by their lawsuit settlement terms.
“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you gotta do that. I was f****d up. I mean I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it, i’m disgusted now,” he said.
