Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs was seen relaxing and taking photos with fans in Central Park just hours before his arrest at a Manhattan hotel.
The 54-year-old rapper was spotted smiling and scrolling through his phone in the park before posing for selfies with several admirers, dressed in a sleeveless black tank top and beige trousers.
Photos of Diddy enjoying some downtime were captured shortly before his arrest in Manhattan, which followed Homeland Security raids on his Beverly Hills and Miami properties in March.
The raids were part of an investigation tied to sеxual аssault lawsuits against him, the first of which was filed by his ex-girlfriend Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura. Following his arrest, Diddy’s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, issued a statement.
Agnifilo emphasized Diddy’s innocence and denied any wrongdoing, expressing disappointment with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for pursuing what the defense sees as an unjust prosecution.
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and dedicated philanthropist who has spent the past 30 years building an empire, cherishing his children, and supporting the Black community. While not perfect, he is not a criminal,” the statement read.
The attorney further noted that Diddy had cooperated fully with the investigation and voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of the charges. He urged the public to withhold judgment until all the facts are revealed, adding, “These actions reflect an innocent man with nothing to hide, ready to clear his name in court.”
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced on X that an indictment against Diddy would be unsealed.
“Earlier this evening, federal agents arrested Sean Combs based on a sealed indictment filed by SDNY. We plan to unseal the indictment in the morning and will provide further updates at that time,” read the post from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
On March 25, federal agents searched Diddy’s California and Florida properties as part of the investigation into the sеxual аssault claims. His Miami home on Star Island was also included in the raids.