Sean “Diddy” Combs predicted that he would one day be arrested for his wild partying in an interview that resurfaced after his sensational indictment.
The disgraced rapper-turned-mogul told Entertainment Tonight in 1999, 25 years before he was charged with sex trafficking and related crimes, “They don’t even give me a permit to have the parties anymore. They don’t want me to stop having the parties, but we’re not going to stop. We’re going to continue to have fun bringing people from all walks of life together.”
“They’ll hear about my parties. They’ll cancel them. They’ll probably arrest me and do all kinds of crazy things just because we want to have fun.”
He argued: “When you bring another element into people’s environment, things that broaden people’s horizons, people get intimidated. A lot of people out there feel intimidated by that.”
Combs further emphasized that his social gatherings are about “breaking down racial barriers” and “breaking down generational barriers.”
He mentioned that it was not uncommon for “Ron Perlman to talk to Jay-Z” at the famous festivities, adding that the celebrity surrounding these soirées did not necessarily make him feel “special” or “like a bigger person.”
His parties have been attended by many A-list celebrities, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Donald Trump, Ashton Kutcher, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and many more. However, there is no evidence that any of the stars in attendance were involved in any alleged illegal activities at the parties.
Combs, 54, was arrested last week in a New York hotel and charged with conspiracy to commit organized crime, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation for the purpose of prostitution.
Although he pleaded not guilty, he was denied bail and remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
According to the indictment, federal agents discovered more than 1,000 bottles of lubricant, various narcotics and three AR-15s during a raid on his Los Angeles and Miami mansions in March.
Prosecutors claimed that the founder of Bad Boy Records had spent decades “abusing, threatening and coercing women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his behavior.” In doing so, he had “created a criminal organization whose members and accomplices were involved in sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
According to the indictment, Combs and members of his Combs Enterprise – including high-ranking supervisors, security guards, domestic staff and personal assistants – organized several “freak offs”: sex parties under the influence of drugs.
During these encounters, the hip-hop star allegedly “punched, kicked, threw objects at the victims, and sometimes dragged them by their hair,” according to the indictment. The indictment further alleges that he subjected the victims to “physical, emotional, and verbal abuse in an attempt to get them to engage in freak-offs,” which he “often electronically recorded.”
The alleged attacks “often resulted in injuries that took days or weeks to heal,” the prosecutor said.
The indictment continues: “Combs exercised control over his victims through, among other things, physical violence, promises of career opportunities, providing or threatening to withdraw financial support, and other coercive means. These included monitoring their whereabouts, determining their appearance, monitoring their medical records, controlling their accommodations, and providing the victims with controlled substances.”
If convicted, the father of seven children faces at least 15 years in prison.
Combs is currently facing at least eight lawsuits accusing him of sexual harassment, rape and more.
Although he has denied the allegations, he apologized for the violent attack on his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura after a video of the 2016 brawl was released in May.
The 38-year-old R&B singer was the first of Combs’ accusers to sue him; the pair immediately reached a settlement in November 2023.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
