Diddy's lawyer issues statement maintaining the rapper's innocence after DHS raids
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- The Department of Homeland Security on Monday searched Sean "Diddy" Combs' Los Angeles and Miami homes.
- On Tuesday, Diddy's lawyer issued a public statement reaffirming his innocence of any wrongdoing.
- No charges have been filed, but reports indicate the search was related to a sex-trafficking investigation.
An attorney for Sean "Diddy" Combs on Tuesday issued the first public statement about the rapper following Monday's raids by the Department of Homeland Security on his Los Angeles and Miami homes.
In a statement sent to Business Insider, Aaron Dyer, Combs' attorney, maintained Combs' innocence and said the raids were "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," Dyer's statement read. "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."
No charges have been filed following the search. Reports from the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times citing law-enforcement sources indicate the search was part of a sex-trafficking investigation.
In a statement sent to Business Insider on Monday, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said: "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. We will provide further information as it becomes available."
The search came after five separate accusers filed civil suits against Combs, alleging he had sexually assaulted or abused them. The first of the accusations was levied by one of Combs' ex-girlfriends, the singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, in November.
Ventura and Combs settled their suit within days, but none of the other four suits have been settled.
"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," Dyers' statement continued. "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."
Correction: March 27, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misspelled the first name of the singer Cassie. It's Casandra, not Cassandra.