Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs has pleaded not guilty after being arrested and charged with sex trafficking
P Diddy’s three sons appeared at court today in support of their dad following his arrest yesterday.
The singer, whose real name is Sean Combs, pleaded not guilty at Manhattan federal court after being charged with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, a federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday revealed.
A law enforcement official said the I’ll Be Missing You singer was inside the courthouse when his three sons, Justin Dior Combs, Quincy Brown and King Combs, appeared. Federal prosecutors say they will seek to have him detained while he awaits sex trafficking trial. Combs has reportedly offered $50million (£38m) to post bail until his trial begins.
Diddy, 54, was federally charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Federal prosecutors in the indictment accused Diddy of running an “enterprise that he engaged in sex trafficking, forced labor or, kidnapping, arson and other crimes.”
According to the indictment which was obtained by the Mirror, Diddy is alleged to have “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct,” for decades. It was also claimed the rapper had “manipulated women to participate in highly orchestrated performances of sexual activity with male commercial sex workers” through coercive means, including giving them narcotics and “controlling their careers”.
The documents claim that he “assaulted women by, among other things, striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them.” The alleged assaults are reported to have been witnessed by other individuals including an instance which was filmed inside a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016.
Diddy has continued to vehemently deny all allegations made against him and as his lawyer Marc Agnifilo entered court on Tuesday, he told reporters outside that his client is not guilty. “He’s innocent of these charges,” he repeated.
Earlier this yearr, a search warrant was obtained for Diddy’s California and Florida properties. Federal agents are believed to have taken Diddy’s phones after approaching him at Miami-Opa Locka Airport. At the time, his attorney, Aaron Dyer, said the raids were a “gross overuse of military-level force” and a “witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.” A grand jury began examining evidence into claims of sex trafficking and racketeering allegations made against Diddy.
A representative for P Diddy, lawyer Marc Agnifilo, also told the Mirror they were disappointed with the decision to pursue the star at the time. “He is an imperfect person, but he Is not a criminal,” Agnifilo told us. “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 judgement 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.”
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