Why was Diddy arrested on September 16? The indictment, which was unsealed on September 17, revealed that Combs was charged with sex trafficking and racketeering.
This comes after sexual assault and abuse allegations against Sean Combs, better known to music fans as Diddy, first came to light when his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against him in November of 2023. The allegations became front page news in March of 2024, when two of his homes were raided as part of an ongoing human trafficking investigation, according to CNN.
Since then, other alleged victims have filed additional lawsuits as more details—including graphic surveillance video footage—have continued to emerge.
It’s a fast-moving story, but here is a timeline of everything we know so far about the Diddy assault allegations.
November 16, 2023: Singer Cassie Ventura files a lawsuit accusing Sean “Diddy” Combs of physical and sexual abuse that lasted for years, according to the Associated Press. The pair dated on and off for over a decade between 2007 and 2018.
Through his lawyer, Combs denies the accusations. After Ventura’s lawsuit goes public, others come forward with similar lawsuits that also accuse the music mogul of sexual assault.
November 17, 2023: Ventura and Combs settle their lawsuit, according to separate statements obtained by CNN. “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love,” Combs says, per the news outlet.
As for Ventura, she says, “I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans, and lawyers for their unwavering support.”
The settlement amount is not disclosed.
November 18, 2023: Ben Brafman, one of Combs’s lawyers, denies that settling the lawsuit equates to an “admission of wrongdoing” in a statement to CNN.
“A decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing,” Brafman says. “Mr. Combs’s 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.”
December 6, 2023: A woman identified as Jane Doe in legal documents becomes the fourth person to accuse Diddy of sexual assault—specifically, gang rape—as well as sex trafficking, per the AP. She alleges that in 2003, Harve Pierre, then president of Combs’s Bad Boy Records, flew her on a private jet from Detroit to New York, where Combs, Pierre, and a third man raped her when she was 17, a minor.
In a statement published on Instagram on December 6, Combs denies all accusations of sexual assault, writing, “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. 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.”
