U.S. Federal authorities, as reported by Fox 11 on Monday (March 25), initiated multiple raids on P. Diddy’s Los Angeles, Miami and New York homes registered under Bad Boy Films. Videos captured the scene, showing armed Department of Homeland Security personnel entering the premises and detaining several individuals at the Los Angeles home including, including Diddy’s sons Justin and King Combs. The raids are allegedly linked to an ongoing sex trafficking investigation. It remains unclear whether Diddy was present during the raids.
Puff Daddy’s LA and Miami homes are currently being raided by Department Of Homeland Security. pic.twitter.com/JUMGQxQMsX
— WMV (@worldmusicviews) March 25, 2024
These raids coincide with 27th anniversary release of the final studio album by the Notorious B.I.G., released on March 25, 1997, shortly after his murder, produced by Combs and released on his Bad Boy label. Coincidentally the album features the hip hop classic track “Kick In The Door” produced by DJ Premiere which samples American singer “Screamin’ Jay” Hawkins 1956 track “I Put A Spell On You” along with collaborations from artists such as Jay-Z, Lil’ Kim, and R. Kelly, exploring the mafioso rap sub-genre. Selling 690,000 copies in its first week, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and received critical acclaim.
In recently weeks allegations of sex trafficking involving Diddy have surfaced. According to documents acquired by XXL on Feb. 21, Diddy formally denied allegations made on Feb. 20 that he trafficked a minor across state lines for the purpose of rape, along with Harve Pierre and another unidentified individual.
In his 11-page response filed in the Southern District of New York, Combs stated, “(Combs) never participated in, witnessed, or was or is presently aware of any misconduct, sexual or otherwise, relating to plaintiff in any circumstance whatsoever.”
Diddy’s legal team also questioned the timing of the lawsuit, which alleges that the music mogul provided the teenage girl with “copious amounts of drugs and alcohol” before assaulting her in a studio restroom. Diddy contested the accuracy of the included photos, which purportedly depict the Jane Doe sitting on his lap at his residence on the night of the alleged incident.
The raid also comes four months after Cassie and Diddy, who dated for nearly a decade before ending their relationship in 2018, settled a lawsuit just 24 hours after it was filed. The lawsuit, filed by Cassie, accused Diddy of physical abuse and control over her life. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Cassie stated she resolved the matter amicably, thanking her family, fans, and lawyers for support.
Diddy also released a statement wishing Cassie and her family the best. The settlement avoided a legal discovery process and spared Cassie from cross-examination. The lawsuit alleged years of beatings, controlling behavior, and sexual abuse, including rape, by Diddy. Diddy’s lawyer denied these allegations, calling them offensive and baseless. Cassie married personal trainer Alex Fine in 2019 and shares two children with him.
