Aubrey O'Day Speaks Out After Sean "Diddy" Combs' Arrest
Originally appeared on E! Online
Aubrey O’Day has broken her silence about Sean “Diddy” Combs’ arrest.
The former member of Combs’ girl group Danity Kane—who was kicked out in 2008, for reasons she later claimed on Call Her Daddy in 2022 were related to her refusal to do things for the rapper in areas unrelated to music—broke her silence regarding his recent arrest. (O’Day later returned to Danity Kane and Combs never publicly addressed the reasons for her departure.)
“I never thought I would see this day,” O’Day told TMZ Sept. 17. “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.”
Combs was arrested at Park Hyatt Hotel in New York Sept. 16, with an unsealed federal indictment obtained by NBC News Sept. 17 revealing he has been charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
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The documents obtained by NBC News allege that Combs had “threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires.”
Prosecutors added in the documents that Combs had created “a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in,” before listing various crimes including "sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
Combs has yet to address the details of the case, but arrived at the New York courtroom Sept. 17 to face charges. Meanwhile, his attorney Marc Agnifilo told reporters outside to “reserve your judgment until you have all the facts.”
"He came to New York to basically engage the court system and start the case and it will start today and he’s going to plead not guilty,” Agnifilo added. “He’s going to fight this with all of his energy and all of his might and the full confidence of his lawyers.”
O’Day’s comments closely followed an Instagram post she made shortly after news of Combs’ arrest came to light.
“The purpose of justice is to prove an ending and allow us the space to create a new chapter,” she wrote in a Sept. 16 Instagram Story. “Women never get this. I feel validated. Today is a win for women all over the world, not just me. Things are finally changing.”
Keep reading to untangle all of the legal trouble facing Combs.
(E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Search Warrants Executed on Diddy’s L.A. and Miami Properties
Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed search warrants at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami properties on March 25, multiple law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC News.
The sources told the outlet the warrant was out of the Southern District of New York, and a spokesperson for HSI New York confirmed to E! News it “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”
Law enforcement sources told NBC News the music mogul was in the Miami area when the search warrants were executed.
News about the investigation broke after Combs faced allegations of sexual misconduct in lawsuits filed by multiple accusers starting in November, with the musician denying the allegations.
“Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he wrote in a December statement posted on Instagram. “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.”
Diddy’s Attorney Speaks Out
The day after HSI executed the search warrants at Combs' L.A. and Miami properties, his lawyer spoke out.
"Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences," attorney Aaron Dyer said in a March 26 statement to E! News. "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 noted 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,” his lawyer's statement continued. “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.”
And Dyer expressed Combs' intent to defend himself.
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” he added. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”
Details About the Raid Revealed
As for what actually went down during the searches, multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the warrant told NBC News authorities with the Department of Homeland Security seized phones from Combs’ home in Miami before he was scheduled to travel to the Bahamas, and several sources familiar with the matter added that guns were discovered during the search.
One source familiar with the matter also told NBC News three women and one man were interviewed by prosecutors and investigators from the Southern District of New York about allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms purportedly tied to Combs.
Diddy’s Associate Brendan Paul Arrested on Suspicion of Drug Possession
On the same day the search warrants were executed at Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles properties, one of his associates, Brendan Paul, was arrested by the Miami-Dade police on suspicion of drug possession, a law enforcement source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
According to the Miami-Dade arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet, Paul was taken into custody for allegedly possessing suspected cocaine and suspected marijuana candy.
Prison records obtained by NBC News show Paul was released on March 26 after posting bond.
“We do not plan on trying this case in the media,” Paul’s attorney Brian Bieber said in a statement obtained by the outlet, “all issues will be dealt with in court.”
In May, Paul accepted a plea deal, with his lawyer Bieber telling People, "Brendan accepted the prosecutor’s offer to permit his entry into the diversion program which, after completion, the case against him will be dismissed in its entirety."
Diddy Arrested in New York
He was arrested in the lobby of a New York hotel on Sept. 16, 2024, according to NBC News. It's unclear what Combs has been charged with and if the arrest has any potential connection to the raids.
“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office," his lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in a statement to E! News. "He is an imperfect person but Is not criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges."
Diddy Charged With Sex Trafficking & Racketeering
After Combs was arrested based on the sealed indictment, the indictment was unsealed on Sept. 17.
The 54-year-old was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; as well as transportation to engage in prostitution, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.
The indictment alleged Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct” for more than a decade, with prosecutors saying the purported behavior started around 2008.
"To do so," the documents stated, "Combs relied on the employees, resources, and influence of the multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled—creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice."
According to NBC News, Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo told reporters outside the New York courthouse that the Grammy winner would plead not guilty.
“He’s going to fight this with all of his energy and all of his might,” the lawyer added, per the outlet, “and the full confidence of his lawyers."
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