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Federal agents handcuffed hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs last Monday evening (16th September) in New York. Following his arrest, the indictment was unsealed on Tuesday, revealing more disturbing allegations against the entertainer. Combs was charged with three counts: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs’ arrest indicates that his long-overdue reckoning is here. And we have his former partner and music artist Casandra “Cassie” Ventura to thank for her bravery in exposing his alleged cruel and abusive behaviour throughout the years with the lawsuit she filed last November.
For powerful men like Diddy, it’s rare for them to be publicly held accountable for their vicious actions — let alone the possibility of actual justice being served. When it comes to sexual assault and rape cases, the justice system is typically not on the side of women who come forward. On top of the worries of retaliation from their offenders and backlash from society, the fear of not being believed is another reason that leads to victims not reporting their abuse. According to a report from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, rape is the most under-reported crime, with 63% of sexual assaults not being reported to the police.
Ventura revealing Combs’ alleged wrongdoings, which had been lurking in the shadows for nearly two decades, was a commendable act of courage. Campaigns such as the #MeToo movement have sparked viral conversations that encouraged more women to vocalise the sexual violence they experienced. As a result, the #MeToo movement has led to the convictions and sentencing of powerful men such as Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and R. Kelly. Now, Combs is seemingly next on the list to pay for his alleged crimes.
As stated in the indictment, 2009 is estimated to be the start of Combs’ alleged abuse. According to the 14-page document, New York prosecutors accused the businessman of creating a “criminal enterprise” that for decades abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.” Among claims of his abusive behaviour, the indictment also alleges his participation in “sex trafficking,” “forced labour,” “kidnapping,” and other horrendous crimes. Among the charges, the indictment details events in which Diddy allegedly coerced multiple women into “elaborate and produced sex performances” with sex workers, according to prosecutors, which were dubbed “freak offs,” making them sound like harmless parties, instead of the disturbing acts that are described in the court documents that can only be interpreted as one thing: rape.
While Diddy pleaded not guilty in a New York court after his arrest, he was denied bail and will remain in federal detention. Back in March, Homeland Security Investigations raided Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami as a slew of allegations against him continued to grow. However, his recent arrest and indictment are the latest shocking developments in his ongoing legal issues.
A week before Monday’s shocking turn of events, a former member of the early 2000s girl group Danity Kane filed a lawsuit against the record producer. Dawn Richard, who Combs selected to join the group, accused him of sexual assault, food and sleep deprivation, and threatening her life when she tried to intervene in his past relationship with Ventura. Richard’s lawsuit is one of ten filed against Combs since last year.
Diddy’s alleged abusive behaviour was revealed publicly in November 2023 after Ventura filed an explosive lawsuit against the entertainer, alleging that she was raped, sex trafficked, and a victim of his physical violence. The two settled the dispute outside of court one day later. However, Ventura’s claims opened a Pandora’s box to other survivors coming forward about their disheartening interactions with Combs. Despite denying Ventura’s allegations early on, a surveillance video showcasing his abuse toward her was released months later. In May 2024, a tape obtained by CNN showed Diddy physically assaulting the “Me & U” singer in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. The disturbing footage sent shockwaves on the Internet as many viewers condemned Combs for his abusive behaviour. Two days later, he issued an apology on Instagram, saying his disgusting behaviour was “inexcusable” and that he was “truly sorry” for attacking his ex-girlfriend.
Ever since Ventura came forward, the trajectory of Combs’ legacy has plummeted within the past year. He’s lost several business partnerships and stepped down as chairman of his media company, Revolt. He’s been stripped of notable honours, including the key to his hometown of New York City. The world is finally knocking Combs off his high horse, where he is no longer invincible or untouchable. Few of his celebrity peers have publicly reacted to the news since the arrest. However, music artist Aubrey O’Day has broken her silence about the unfolding events.
O’Day is also a former Danity Kane member, which Combs formed in 2005 and later signed to his music label, Bad Boy Records. She was kicked out of the girl group in 2008, alleging in a 2022 podcast episode of Call Her Daddy that her departure resulted from refusing to engage in Diddy’s requests that had nothing to do with making music. Following Monday’s events, O’Day shared her reaction with TMZ. “I never thought I would see this day,” she told TMZ. “We all buried this inside of us in order to be able to keep going. And not just me, but victims you don’t even know yet. We are all processing what that type of vindication can actually feel like now. Every conversation I’ve had with victims last night has been beyond moving on all levels.”
And to be clear, Combs’ downfall is not an example of society trying to “take a Black man down.” The crumbling of his empire is a consequence of his alleged history of brutally mistreating women. His arrest only scratches the surface of hip-hop’s delayed #MeToo reckoning. But, it’s a start that has the power to be a catalyst for holding him and other industry key players responsible for their unacceptable behaviours. Holding Combs accountable for the multiple allegations against him is necessary for justice to be served. It is also a step in the right direction toward healing for his survivors. Combs’ downfall is not a tragedy. And whoever believes that it is one is on the wrong side of history.
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