Diddy Reportedly the Subject of Federal Criminal Investigation

NBC News reports that Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ legal team was notified last week by federal authorities in the Southern District of New York that he is a subject of an ongoing criminal investigation, according to two sources familiar with Combs’ ongoing legal troubles.

These sources confirmed that a federal grand jury is hearing evidence as part of the investigation, though there is no indication that charges are imminent. A U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson declined to comment, and Combs’ lawyers did not respond to NBC’s request for comment.

Legal experts explain that a subject of an investigation is someone who is within the scope of a criminal investigation, while an individual is designated a target when prosecutors likely intend to seek an indictment from the grand jury. A person’s status can be upgraded or downgraded during an investigation. According to the sources, Combs has not received a target letter, and the Southern District of New York is not required to send one.

This news comes three months after law enforcement officials raided Combs’ houses in both Los Angeles and Miami.

In May, Combs apologized after a video obtained by CNN showed him beating his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016. Combs admitted to the incident in a video apology posted to his Instagram and took “full responsibility.”

“It’s so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that,” Combs said. “I was f—ed up — I mean, I hit rock bottom — but I make no excuses.”

Combs initially denied Ventura’s allegations of assault and sex trafficking, which she described in a federal lawsuit filed in November. The two settled for an undisclosed amount the following day. At the time of Combs’ admission of the assault, an attorney for Ventura, Meredith Firetog, said, “When Cassie and multiple other women came forward, he denied everything and suggested that his victims were looking for a payday.”

Firetog added, “He was only compelled to ‘apologize’ once his repeated denials were proven false, showing his pathetic desperation.” Ventura’s attorneys did not respond to a question about whether she has been called to take part in any grand jury proceedings.

Meanwhile, Combs has been accused of a wide range of allegations in multiple civil lawsuits. The latest lawsuit was filed on Wednesday, accusing Combs of sex trafficking by a former adult film star. The former music executive has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime. Jonathan Davis, attorney for Sean Diddy Combs, dismissed the latest lawsuit.

“No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone,” Davis said. “We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason and without any proof. Fortunately, a fair and impartial judicial process exists to find the truth, and Mr. Combs is confident he will prevail against these and other baseless claims in court.”