Video obtained by TMZ showed the aftermath of the raid on Rapper Diddy’s Los Angeles home on Monday as an attorney for the 54-year-old accused the federal government of carrying out a “witch hunt” against him.
The music mogul, whose legal name is Sean Combs, saw his homes in California and Florida searched thoroughly by agents from Homeland Security Investigations.
Investigators reportedly descended on homes in Los Angeles and Miami as part of an investigation into a human trafficking and drugs case.
Video shared by TMZ showed Combs’ L.A. home had been thoroughly ransacked by the agents.
Closets had been picked through, and many of what appeared to be the rapper’s shoes were placed in a driveway outside.
Throughout the large home, drawers were open in bedrooms and bathrooms, as were safes.
Combs’ electronics also appeared to have been the subject of intense interest. A number of computers appeared to have been taken apart, and their hard drives removed.
Footage of Diddy’s house after it was raided via TMZ 👀 pic.twitter.com/q4YytLfYoY
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) March 27, 2024
Combs’ sons, King and Justin, were among numerous people at the Los Angeles property during the raid, and TMZ reported they were targeted with “lasers” before they were detained.
Both were eventually freed and have not been charged with any crimes.
Combs has also not been charged with a crime, and he has not been hit with any travel restrictions.
It remains unclear where the rapper is as his private jet was tracked from California to the Caribbean before the aircraft disappeared from a popular flight-tracking website -- apparently at his request.
According to a statement released on Monday, Combs is the subject of a human trafficking investigation based in New York.
He has been sued twice in recent months by two different women, who have each alleged they had been used for sex at the direction of the rapper.
One of them said she was victimized as far back as 2003 when she was a teenager.
Combs has denied both sets of allegations and vowed to clear his name.
In a statement to TMZ on Tuesday, his attorney Aaron Dyer ripped the federal government over the raids of his client’s California and Florida homes.
Dyer stated, "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.
“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.”
Dyer added, "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.”
The attorney concluded, "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.”
According to TMZ, it is believed information from the civil suits Combs faces triggered a federal investigation into him.
