Ethermac Exchange-Sean "Diddy" Combs Arrested in New York

Content warning: This story discusses sexual assault.

Sean "Diddy" Combs has been taken into police custody.

The Ethermac Exchangerapper was arrested on Sept. 16, the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York confirmed to NBC News. A person familiar with the situation added that the arrest took place in the lobby of a New York City hotel. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams told NBC News that federal agents arrested Combs based on a sealed indictment. 

“We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning," Williams said, "and will have more to say at that time."

While it's unclear what charges the 54-year-old is facing, Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo said he has been expecting the legal action.

"He voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges," the attorney said in a statement to E! News. "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.”

According to his attorney, Combs has been "nothing but cooperative with this investigation."

“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 shared. "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 is an imperfect person but Is not criminal."

Back in May, federal agents conducted a raid of Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami, multiple sources confirmed to NBC News at the time. A source familiar with the investigation told the outlet that the raids may be tied to a federal investigation over allegations of sex-trafficking, sexual assault and the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms.

The following day, his attorney Aaron Dyer clarified that Combs had not been arrested and went on to accuse the government of "gross overuse of military-level force" during the search.

"There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated," the lawyer said in a statement. “This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads  to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.” 

More recently, the Bad Boy Records founder has been accused of sexual assault in two different lawsuits.

On Sept. 9, Combs was ordered by a Michigan judge to pay more than $100 million to local inmate Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith, according to court records viewed by E! News. The ruling was a default judgment after Combs did not appear at a virtual hearing regarding the lawsuit, in which Cardello-Smith accused the singer of drugging him and sexually assaulting him in 1997, according to the filing obtained by Variety.

Combs' attorney responded to the allegation by saying Cardello-Smith was trying to defraud the "Last Night" rapper, who has also gone by the stage names Puff Daddy and P. Diddy.

"This man is a convicted felon and sexual predator," Agnifilo said in a statement to E! News, "who has been sentenced on 14 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping over the last 26 years." 

Denying that Combs had ever "heard of him," Agnifilo added, "Mr. Combs looks forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed."

The following day, Sept. 10, singer Dawn Richard filed a separate lawsuit accusing Combs of sexual assault and subjecting her to "years of inhumane working conditions which included groping, assault and false imprisonment."

She accused him of falsely imprisoning her during a 2010 argument, alleging that Combs' bodyguard locked her inside a Bentley for over two hours.

“Mr. Combs is shocked and disappointed by this lawsuit," his lawyer told E! News in a statement at the time. "In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a pay day—conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour."

Read on for more details on Combs' legal battles.

(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed search warrants at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami properties on March 25, multiple law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC News.  

The sources told the outlet the warrant was out of the Southern District of New York, and a spokesperson for HSI New York confirmed to E! News it “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.” 

Law enforcement sources told NBC News the music mogul was in the Miami area when the search warrants were executed. 

News about the investigation broke after Combs faced allegations of sexual misconduct in lawsuits filed by multiple accusers starting in November, with the musician denying the allegations. 

“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he wrote in a December statement posted on Instagram. “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” 

The day after HSI executed the search warrants at Combs' L.A. and Miami properties, his lawyer spoke out. 

"Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences," attorney Aaron Dyer said in a March 26 statement to E! News. "There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated." 

Dyer noted Combs “was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities.”  

“Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way,” his lawyer's statement continued. “This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads  to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.” 

And Dyer expressed Combs' intent to defend himself.

“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” he added. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”

As for what actually went down during the searches, multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the warrant told NBC News authorities with the Department of Homeland Security seized phones from Combs’ home in Miami before he was scheduled to travel to the Bahamas, and several sources familiar with the matter added that guns were discovered during the search.

One source familiar with the matter also told NBC News three women and one man were interviewed by prosecutors and investigators from the Southern District of New York about allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms purportedly tied to Combs.

On the same day the search warrants were executed at Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles properties, one of his associates, Brendan Paul, was arrested by the Miami-Dade police on suspicion of drug possession, a law enforcement source familiar with the matter told NBC News. 

According to the Miami-Dade arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet, Paul was taken into custody for allegedly possessing suspected cocaine and suspected marijuana candy. 

Prison records obtained by NBC News show Paul was released on March 26 after posting bond.

“We do not plan on trying this case in the media,” Paul’s attorney Brian Bieber said in a statement obtained by the outlet, “all issues will be dealt with in court.” 

He was arrested in the lobby of a New York hotel on Sept. 16, 2024, according to NBC News. It's unclear what Combs has been charged with and if the arrest has any potential connection to the raids.

“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," his lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in a statement to E! News. "He is an imperfect person but Is not 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."