Attorney Aaron Dyer issued a statement after Diddy's Los Angeles and Miami homes were raided on Monday.
An attorney for Sean "Diddy" Combs issued a statement on the rapper's behalf on Tuesday, following Homeland Security raids on Diddy's Los Angeles and Miami homes on Monday.
Aaron Dyer tells ET, "Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences. There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated. Mr. 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," Dyer's statement continues. "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. There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name."
Helicopter footage captured the raid of the Beverly Hills home owned by Diddy -- who has faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct in recent months -- and two of his sons, Justin and Christian "King" Combs, were seen being placed in handcuffs.
In a statement to ET, Homeland Security Investigations shared on Monday, "Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.
One of the crimes under the purview of Homeland Security is sex trafficking, which Diddy was accused of by ex-girlfriend Cassie in her November 2023 lawsuit against the rapper, which also included Cassie's claim that Diddy raped her in 2018, near the end of their relationship.
According to legal documents obtained by ET, Cassie claimed Diddy began a pattern of control and abuse within a few years of signing her to his Bad Boy records label. She claimed Diddy's control over her included him introducing her "to a lifestyle of excessive alcohol and substance abuse and required her to procure illicit prescriptions to satisfy his own addictions." Among the numerous allegations made in the 35-page lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court were claims that Diddy would often punch, beat, kick and stomp on her, resulting in bruises, burst lips, black eyes and bleeding.
The R&B singer "was held down by Mr. Combs and endured over a decade of his violent behavior and disturbed the demands," the court documents state, in which she also claims she was "trapped" by his "cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking."
Cassie also claimed in the lawsuit that Diddy would force her to engage in sex acts with male sex workers while masturbating and filming the encounters, which the singer said Diddy referred to as a "freak off," or "FO." She further claimed Diddy "would repeatedly tell [her] at random moments that he wanted an FO, and [she] was eventually expected to facilitate the location and the hiring of male sex workers."
The lawsuit between the exes was settled quickly and "amicably," Diddy said in a statement to ET at the time, adding "I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love."
"Just so we’re clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing," Diddy's attorney, Ben Brafman, added in a statement to ET. "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."
Despite their settlement, however, Diddy faced three new lawsuits before the end of the year, in which he was accused of sexual assault, revenge porn and being involved in the "gang rape" of a 17-year-old girl.
"Enough is enough," Combs wrote on Instagram after the most recent allegations emerged. "For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy."
"Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday," he continued. "Let me 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."
On Monday, Douglas Wigdor, who represents Cassie and one of the Jane Does in the later lawsuits said in a statement in response to the Homeland Security raids, "We will always support law enforcement when it seeks to prosecute those that have violated the law. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a process that will hold Mr. Combs responsible for his depraved conduct."
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