Author: BBC News

Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is currently in federal custody awaiting trial on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

His arrest last week in New York comes amid a series of civil suits alleging sexual assault and physical violence, some going back to the 1990s.

The 11th and latest accuser to come forward, Thalia Graves, claims Combs and his bodyguard drugged, bound and raped her in 2001, and filmed the incident.

The Harlem-born rapper has denied criminal wrongdoing.

What is the criminal case about?

Combs, 54, was arrested on Monday 16 September in a New York hotel on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force and transportation for purposes of prostitution.

Federal prosecutors have accused him of “creating a criminal enterprise” in which he “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct”.

They said Combs had used drugs, violence and the power of his status to “lure female victims” into extended sex acts called “Freak Offs”.

They also revealed they had uncovered firearms, ammunition and more than 1,000 bottles of lubricant during raids on Combs’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles in March.

Prosecutors have reportedly been in touch with several witnesses who worked under Combs and some of the accusers currently suing him, and have left open the possibility of more charges.

The singer-producer has pleaded not guilty to the three felony counts against him and his attorney told reporters he was a “fighter” who was “not afraid of the charges”.

Combs is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a federal jail notorious for its violence and poor inmate care.

MDC includes an extra-security section with barracks-style housing reserved for special detainees, and US media report that Combs is sharing the space with convicted cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried.

His legal team sought his release pending trial because of the jail’s “horrific” conditions, but prosecutors argued he posed “a serious flight risk” and Combs has twice been denied bail.

If convicted, he faces a sentence of anywhere from 15 years to life in prison.

Who are his accusers?

Combs’s former on-and-off girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, was first to blow the whistle on the self-proclaimed “bad boy for life”.

In a lawsuit filed last November, the model and musician alleged he had “trapped” her for over a decade in a “cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking”.

Combs “vehemently” denied the claims. A day after the suit landed in court, both parties said they had “amicably” settled the case, though Combs’s attorney said the settlement was “in no way an admission of wrongdoing”.

But in May, CNN obtained surveillance footage that showed the entertainer-turned-entrepreneur assaulting Ms Ventura in a 2016 altercation that is detailed in her suit.

Combs finally acknowledged the incident in an Instagram video two days later, saying he was “disgusted” by what he had done.

“My behaviour on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions,” he said.

Ten others – including one man – have since come forward with their own claims.

Joi Dickerson-Neal, who said Ms Ventura had inspired her to speak out, alleged Combs had “intentionally drugged” and raped her when she was a Syracuse University student in 1991, and had made her a victim of revenge porn by filming the assault and showing it to others.

Representatives for Combs blasted the lawsuit as “purely a money grab” and have asked for it to be dismissed.

Liza Gardner accused Combs and R&B crooner Aaron Hall of plying her with drinks and then forcing her to have sex with them against her will when she was 16 years old. She also claimed that Combs had visited her home the next day and choked her until she passed out. Combs’s attorney slammed the claims as “bogus”.

The three initial lawsuits were brought under New York state’s Adult Survivors Act, which granted adult victims a one-year window to bring claims against their abusers regardless of statutes of limitation.

A woman so far identified only as Jane Doe claimed that Combs, former Bad Boy Records president Harve Pierre and a third person had violently gang-raped her in a New York City studio when she was a 17-year-old high school student.

A few days later, Combs broke his silence on social media against “sickening allegations… by individuals looking for a quick pay day”. His attorneys are seeking to dismiss the “baseless and time-barred” case. Mr Pierre has meanwhile called the suit a “tale of fiction”.

Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, a producer and videographer who worked on Combs’s most recent album, accused the mogul of running an illegal racketeering enterprise in which he was forced to procure drugs, solicit sex workers and tape sex acts. He also claimed Combs and actor Cuba Gooding Jr had groped him without consent.

Grace O’Marcaigh, who worked on a yacht leased by the Combs family in 2022, accused the rapper and his son, Christian “King” Combs, of sexual assault. She blamed them for creating an “environment of debauchery” with suspected sex workers and top celebrities aboard.

Crystal McKinney claimed she had been drugged and sexually assaulted by Combs following a Men’s Fashion Week event in 2003 when she was 22 years old. She also said he had subsequently “blackballed” her in the modelling world.

April Lampros, who says she met Combs as a student at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology in 1994, detailed “four terrifying sexual encounters” through the early 2000s.

Adria English, a former adult-film actress who worked with Combs in the 2000s, said he had used her as a “sexual pawn for the pleasure and financial benefit of others” during the “White Parties” he hosted at his homes in New York and Miami.

Dawn Richards, who once sang in two Combs-assembled groups including Danity Kane, said she had personally witnessed his violence against Ms Ventura and that he had threatened her life when she tried to intervene.

Thalia Graves, who is backed by celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, claimed Combs and his bodyguard Joseph Sherman had sedated, overpowered and tied her up before recording themselves raping her and later distributing the sex tape.

Representatives for Combs have denied the claims of all six most recent accusers.

Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been denied bail after pleading not guilty in a sex-trafficking case. 

A New York federal judge remanded the musician in custody after prosecutors argued he was a “serious flight risk”.

Mr Combs, 54, was arrested on Monday evening, accused of running a criminal enterprise from at least 2008 that relied on drugs and violence to force women to “fulfill his sexual desires”, according to prosecutors.

A 14-page indictment charges him with racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and transportation to engage in prostitution. 

If convicted on all three counts, the rapper and record producer faces a sentence of 15 years up to life in prison.

He was wearing a black T-shirt and grey sweatpants during Tuesday’s court appearance in Manhattan.

Asked by US Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky how he wished to plead, Mr Combs stood up and said: “Not guilty.”

‘Freak Offs‘

According to court documents, Mr Combs “wielded the power” of his status to “lure female victims… to engage in extended sex acts” called “Freak Offs”.

“During Freak Offs, Combs distributed a variety of controlled substances to victims, in part to keep the victims obedient and compliant,” the indictment said.

In a news briefing, US prosecutor Damian Williams said officials found firearms, ammunition and more than 1,000 bottles of lubricant during raids on Mr Combs’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles, about six months ago.

Mr Williams said federal agents had also found three semi-automatic rifles with defaced serial numbers, and a drum magazine.

He told reporters that further charges were possible, without offering specific details.

Mr Combs’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said the defence team had already launched an appeal against the judge’s bail decision, with a hearing set for Wednesday.

“We believe in him wholeheartedly,” Mr Agnifilo told reporters at the Manhattan court.

“He didn’t do these things. There’s no coercion and no crime. He’s not afraid of the charges.”

Mr Agnifilo said Mr Combs was the target of “an unjust prosecution”.

In court documents, federal prosecutors said that Mr Combs had “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct”.

Prosecutors accuse Mr Combs of “creating a criminal enterprise” whose members – under his direction – engaged in sex trafficking, forced labour, kidnapping, arson and bribery.

“On numerous occasions”, the documents said, Mr Combs assaulted women by “striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them”.

The indictment did not specify how many women were alleged victims.

It also does not accuse Mr Combs himself of engaging directly in unwanted sexual acts with women.

The Bad Boy records founder, who was also known during his career as P. Diddy and Puff Daddy, has faced many of the accusations before.

Last November, his ex-girlfriend, singer Casandra Elizabeth Ventura, filed a civil lawsuit against him that included graphic descriptions of violent abuse. 

He denied the accusations, but settled the case a day after it was filed.

In May, Mr Combs released a public apology after video footage from a Los Angeles hotel appeared to show him beating Ms Ventura in a hallway.

Tuesday’s indictment against Mr Combs accuses him of similar violence.

Ms Ventura’s lawyer, Douglas Wigdor, declined to comment on Mr Combs’s arrest.

The indictment follows a string of sexual assault allegations against Mr Combs, one of the most successful music moguls in the history of rap.

Four women, including Ms Ventura, have filed lawsuits accusing him of sexual and physical abuse.

In a statement issued last December, Mr Combs defended himself against what he described as “sickening allegations” made by “individuals looking for a quick payday”.

In June, he returned a ceremonial “Key to the City of New York” following a request from Mayor Eric Adams, who had bestowed the honour on him just nine months beforehand.

Days later, Howard University announced it was revoking Mr Combs’s 2014 honorary degree.

The musician is credited with helping turn rappers and R&B singers such as Usher, Mary J Blige and Notorious B.I.G. into stars in the 1990s and 2000s.

Embattled hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been arrested in New York City on unspecified federal charges, federal authorities told the BBC’s US partner CBS.

The arrest in Manhattan follows raids on two of his properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March as part of an “ongoing investigation” into sex trafficking by authorities.

Mr Combs’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said they were “disappointed” by the arrest and his client was an “innocent man”.

The musician has faced a series of allegations from sexual assault to abuse, including by his ex-partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. 

He has denied all the claims against him.

His arrest was made in connection with an ongoing investigation by US Homeland Security officials, multiple law enforcement sources told CBS.

US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams confirmed the arrest in a statement on Monday night.

“Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs, based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY,” the prosecutor said.

He said the office plans to unseal the indictment on Tuesday morning and we “will have more to say at that time”.

Combs faces a number of civil lawsuits, including allegations that he raped an underage girl and tried to “groom” a producer and force him to have sex with another man.

His attorney said on Monday night that Mr Combs was looking forward to “clearing his name in court”.

“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution,” Mr Agnifilo said in a written statement.

“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.”

The rapper’s legal problems began in November 2023 when Ms Ventura filed her lawsuit.

Two other women filed lawsuits that same week alleging abuse and assault – including one who said Mr Combs had choked her for so long that she passed out.

He denied all the allegations at the time and a spokesperson for the rapper called the lawsuits a “money grab”.

Then in December, another civil lawsuit alleged a woman had been “sex trafficked” by Mr Combs and two other men when she was 17 years old.

In February this year, new accusations came to light in a civil lawsuit filed by his former producer Rodney Jones Jr, who said Mr Combs made unwanted sexual advances and tried to “groom” him into having sex with others.

Mr Combs denied the allegations but his properties were raided one month later. 

The musician was stopped at an airport in Miami as he was preparing to leave for the Bahamas and handed over electronics to authorities.

Many of the lawsuits came shortly before the expiration of the New York Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily allowed people who said they were sexually abused to file claims, even after the statute of limitations had expired.

In May, CCTV footage posted by CNN appeared to show the rap mogul attacking and beating Ms Ventura, an episode that was chronicled in her civil suit.

Mr Combs – who has also gone by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love – is one of rap’s most successful moguls.

American rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is facing a new lawsuit alleging abuse and exploitation from a former contestant of his MTV show, Making the Band.

Singer Dawn Richard filed a complaint on Tuesday in the Southern District of New York against Combs and others associated with him.

The complaint alleges Combs mistreated women, was physically abusive and withheld Richard’s earnings.

Combs’ lawyer Erica Wolff said the rapper was “shocked and disappointed” by the lawsuit and called Richard’s claims “manufactured” and “false”.

She said her client was “confidently standing on truth and looks forward to proving that in court”.

Richard was a member of the all-female group Danity Kane, which Combs formed through the reality show Making the Band.   

The show focused on contestants who competed to win a spot in his new group.

She later became a member of Combs’ band, Diddy – Dirty Money.

The new lawsuit accuses Combs of mistreating women and claims that Richard witnessed the rapper beating his former girlfriend, Cassandra Ventura.

According to the complaint, Richard saw Combs physically abuse his ex-girlfriend on several occasions, including accounts of choking and strangling her.

The lawsuit lists multiple incidents of Richard allegedly witnessing Combs assaulting Ventura – often in public or in front of representatives from record labels who allegedly still agreed to make deals with Combs.

When she encouraged Ventura to leave the relationship, Richard said she was met with threats and verbal abuse from Combs, according to the complaint.

Ventura filed a federal lawsuit against Combs in 2023 accusing him of physical and sexual abuse. Combs paid Ventura an undisclosed sum of money, which settled the matter outside of court.

Richard’s lawsuit also accuses Combs of exploiting her talent as a singer, withholding her earnings, stealing her copyrighted works and subjecting her to “inhumane working conditions”, which included groping, assault and false imprisonment.

The lawsuit alleges Combs manipulated Richard by saying her submission to these circumstances was necessary for career enhancement and telling her exploitation was required of female artists to succeed in the music industry.

During the filming of the show Making the Band, Richard felt threatened and intimidated by Combs when he displayed aggressive behaviour toward her and her bandmates, according to the complaint.

She accuses Combs of denying her and her bandmates basic needs like adequate food and sleep, and for demanding rehearsal schedules that went on for 36 – 48 hours straight without breaks.

The lawsuit describes an afterparty in November 2009 after the Soul Train Awards in Atlanta, where, it claims, there were illegal drugs and dozens of young women and girls – some who allegedly appeared underage – seeming lethargic or passed out.

These events had security personnel and law enforcement officers posted at the doors, according to the complaint, which made Richard feel trapped and as if she couldn’t leave without Combs being alerted.

The lawsuit also accuses Combs of not paying Richard for appearances that were required as part of a tour agreement.

According to the complaint, there were several instances of Combs making unwanted sexual advancements toward Richard.

Between 2009 and 2011, when rehearsing for Diddy – Dirty Money’s, Combs ordered Richard to strip down to her underwear and called her degrading names in front of others, according to the complaint.

In the complaint, Richard accuses Combs of groping her while she was changing in her dressing room.

When she refused his advancements, it alleges, he would remove her from songs, deny her parts of singing in songs, and turn off her microphone during performances in retaliation.

The lawsuit is among a string of sexual assault allegations that have been recently made against Combs, one of the most successful moguls in the history of rap music.

Combs has denied previous allegations against him, but apologized after a video surfaced of him assaulting Ventura.

Richard credits Ventura’s bravery for coming forward.

“Dawn had the option of filing as a Jane Doe but bravely chose to file in her true name. 

We will not rest until we achieve full and complete justice for Dawn in this case,” Richard’s attorney said in a statement.

American actor James Earl Jones, best known for being the voices of the Star Wars villain Darth Vader, has died aged 93.

He died early on Monday morning surrounded by his family, agent Barry McPherson said.

Jones starred in dozens of films including Field of Dreams, Coming To America, Conan the Barbarian and The Lion King. 

He was best known for giving the Star Wars supervillain Darth Vader his distinctive, gravelly voice.

Mark Hamill, who played Vader’s son Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, posted “RIP Dad” with a broken heart emoji as he shared a news report of the death.

During his career, Jones won three Tony awards including two Emmys and a Grammy, as well as an honorary Oscar in 2011 for lifetime achievement.

In 1971, he became only the second Black man nominated for an Academy Award for best actor, after Sidney Poitier.

Star Trek actor LeVar Burton was was among the first to pay tribute to Jones, saying “there will never be another of his particular combinations of graces”.

Also paying tribute, US actor Colman Domingo wrote: “Thank you dear James Earl Jones for everything. 

A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us your best.”

Kevin Costner, who co-starred with Jones in Field of Dreams, said: “That booming voice. That quiet strength. The kindness that he radiated. So much can be said about his legacy, so I’ll just say how thankful I am that part of it includes Field of Dreams.”

Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer wrote Jones’ “voice and talent will be remembered always” and that “legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever.”

Crystal Minkoff, wife of The Lion King co-director Rob Minkoff, posted a photo of Jones holding a statue of Mufasa alongside the words: “Rest in Power, Mr Jones.

 You made a young animator’s dream come true when you accepted the role of Mufasa.

“Thank you for all you have done for Rob. Your memory will live on.”

Jones was also the voice of US broadcaster CNN’s “This is CNN” tagline.

“He was the voice of CNN and our brand for many decades, uniquely conveying through speech instant authority, grace, and decorum,” the broadcaster told the Hollywood Reporter.

“That remarkable voice is just one of many things the world will miss about James.”

Born in Mississippi in January 1931, Jones said he was unable to speak for most of his childhood because of a stammer.

He explained he had developed his famous voice while working on how to deal with the stammer.

Jones was best known for voicing Darth Vader in the original Star Wars film, which came out in 1977, and sequels The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

He reprised the role in later film releases such as the first installment of the Star Wars anthology series, Rogue One, and the third installment of the sequel trilogy, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – both released in the later 2010s.

A different actor always donned the Darth Vader costume and provided the movement for the famous villain, including the late David Prowse, with Jones lending his deep and instantly recognisable voice.

“I love being part of that whole myth, of that whole cult,” Jones said in a previous interview, adding he was glad to oblige fans who asked for a command recital of his “I am your father” line.

Jones said he never made much money off the Darth Vader part – only $9,000 (£6,884) for the first film – and he considered it merely a special effects job.

At his own insistence, he was not given a credit for his performance. He felt it was all merely another “special effect”.

When the films broke all box office records, he was persuaded to rethink.

Jones was also well known as a television performer, playing the older Alex Hailey in Roots: The Next Generation and winning one of his two Emmys for the lead role in the US drama Gabriel’s Fire.

His gravelly tones were used in The Simpsons and he appeared in early episodes of Sesame Street.

Jones also tackled many iconic Shakespeare characters on the stage, including Othello and King Lear.

Tributes continue to pour in for US rapper Rich Homie Quan, after his death was confirmed by authorities on Thursday.

The artist, who was in his early 30s, passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, the Fulton County Medical Examiner said.

The cause of his death is not known, with local medical authorities saying an autopsy is scheduled for Friday.

Rich Homie Quan, whose legal name was Dequantes Devontay Lamar, was one of Atlanta’s best known modern rappers.

He became a huge name in the rap scene in the mid 2010, finding mainstream success with the 2013 hit Type of Way, which he followed up with the popular Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh) in 2015.

He was nominated for multiple BET and BET Hip Hop Awards, such as best new artist and the people’s champ award.

He also collaborated with several big names in the industry, including 2 Chainz, Young Thug, Gucci Mane and Trinidad James.

Born in October 1989, Rich Homie Quan was the oldest of three siblings, and was raised in a single-parent home, according to Atlanta gig venue, Masquerade.

He originally dreamt of becoming a baseball player, but eventually turned to music.

He spoke frankly about his early life in various interviews, and spent 15 months in jail in 2011 for his involvement in a series of burglaries.

Once out of jail, he threw himself into his music and went on to become a huge name in the rap scene in the mid 2010s.

Since his death was announced, tributes have poured in for the artist from across the rap world.

Singer Jacquees was one of the first to pay his respects.

“Rest in Peace my brother Rich Homie Quan”, he said on X. “I love you for Life,” he added, calling the rapper a “legend” in a subsequent post.

2 Chainz posted a tribute on Instagram, saying: “Dam lil brother, we just spoke about shooting a video, special prayer for you and your family, and pray for any and everybody that’s dealing with something my condolences bru”.

Rapper Quavo also posted on Instagram, writing above an image of himself, Rich Homie Quan, and several other artists: “May God be with us, never saw this being apart of our journey”.

Engineer Alex Tumay, who worked Rich Homie Quan over the years, said the artist was “[o]ne of the nicest people I ever worked with and a true artist. Absolutely crushing news. RIP”.