Federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division raided the Los Angeles and Miami homes of 54-year-old rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs Monday to execute search warrants issued by the U.S. District Court Southern District of New York (SDNY) in connection with a federal human trafficking investigation.
According to reports, well-armed law enforcement officers entered the rapper’s lavish properties and removed multiple individuals in handcuffs. Officials temporarily detained the hip hop singer’s sons, 30-year-old Justin Combs and 25-year-old King Combs as they searched the residences.
HSI said in a statement: “Earlier today, Homeland Security Investigations executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami and our local law enforcement partners. We will provide further information as it becomes available.”
It is not clear whether Combs is the focus of the investigation, though DHS did confiscate several electronic devices, including phones and computers belonging to the celebrity rapper while he was in Miami during the raids.
In December, Combs posted in an all-caps message on X, formerly Twitter, that he is the victim of a conspiracy to assassinate his character — responding to several civil lawsuits filed against him in New York by alleged victims of his trafficking operation.
“Enough is enough. For the last couple of weeks, I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy,” he wrote.
Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” Combs added. “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.”
— LOVE (@Diddy) December 6, 2023
A lawyer for Combs, Aaron Dyer spoke on Tuesday about the searches at the rapper’s homes the day before, “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.”
“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 said.
