Mentioning California’s statute of boundaries, Los Angeles officers have already introduced that they are able to’t reserve Sean Combs in charge of his now notorious—and admitted—2016 assault on then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. However the ongoing federal intercourse trafficking case in opposition to the fallen icon is any other topic fully. Consistent with resources near to america Justice Branch investigation, that video might be added to the proof federal prosecutors are lately assembling, and the unutilized tide of family accusing Combs of crimes may have their generation in court docket.
Allegations of sexual attack and trafficking in opposition to Sean Combs first received traction utmost November when Ventura filed a civil go well with in opposition to Combs. Incorporated in her claims had been main points of a March 5, 2016, bodily assault on the now-closed InterContinental Resort in Century Town, Los Angeles. In her submitting, Ventura mentioned that Combs had paid $50,000 for the safety pictures of the incident.
Combs denied that the assault took playground, in addition to the alternative claims made within the go well with, however settled with Ventura the generation nearest she filed. Next that, alternative ladies got here ahead, announcing that they had additionally been assaulted by means of Combs. He denied their allegations, as neatly, announcing, “I have sat silently and watched people try to assassinate my character, destroy my reputation and my legacy. 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.”
When CNN printed pictures from lodge cameras that depicted the assault on Ventura, Combs backtracked from that denial, announcing, “I was fucked up—I hit rock bottom—but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable.”
“I take full responsibility for my actions in that video,” he mentioned. Days upcoming, extra allegations surfaced, as but any other girl filed a sexual attack lawsuit—the 8th within the utmost six months—alleging “four terrifying sexual encounters” within the Nineteen Nineties and 2000s.
A intercourse trafficking probe focused on Combs went population in March, when the Branch of Place of birth Safety Investigations Pristine York showed {that a} raid on Combs’s Miami and Los Angeles mansions was once “part of an ongoing investigation.”
Since nearest, the company has declined to deal updates at the case, announcing handiest, “We will provide further information as it becomes available.” However in step with resources who spoke with CNN, as those long-ago claims are winding their method via civil court docket, federal investigators are looking at.
“Two sources familiar with the probe” say {that a} federal magnificent jury will quickly be convened in Pristine York to listen to testimony from a few of the ones accusers, and investigators are poring over the court cases for info that may bolster their case.
Along with the civil go well with allegations, investigators are reportedly analyzing video taken within the magnate’s properties. It’s hazy if the pictures in query was once found out all the way through the raid, or had been equipped by means of eyewitnesses, however in both case, the feds are “contacting people that they’ve found on the tapes,” a supply says.
The state of the overall case could also be hazy, as CNN reviews that the probe may advance past the intercourse trafficking allegations we’re lately regular with. Additionally into consideration are “allegations of money laundering and illegal drugs,” the hole claims.
A March lawsuit in opposition to Combs by means of former worker Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones alleged that Combs drugged attendees of novel listening events with spiked bottles of “DeLeon Tequila, and Ciroc Vodka,” but its unknown of that claim factors in the upcoming case. But according to sources, the federal case against Combs is ”much bigger than just these lawsuits.”