How Diddy went from king of hip-hop to indicted

Grammy winner will plead not guilty to sex trafficking, racketeering charges

- MARK COLLEY

For decades, Sean Combs - better known as Diddy ruled hip-hop. He received a key to New York City, an honorary degree from Howard University and won three Grammy Awards. In 2019, Forbes estimated his personal wealth to be $740 million (U.S.).

On Monday, Combs was arrested.

He faces sex trafficking and racketeering charges that allege he "engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals," the indictment says.

The arrest is the latest chapter in a nearly yearlong unravelling of Combs' career and public image, one that began in November with a lawsuit filed by his former girlfriend.

Who is Sean Combs?

Combs broke onto the scene in the 1990s as Puff Daddy. He founded Bad Boy Records and was the partner and producer of the Notorious B.I.G.

Later, he worked with some of the biggest names in hip-hop: Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil' Kim, Faith Evans and 112.

He became one of the most influential producers and executives in the genre and made hundreds of millions in the process. He expanded into spirits, promoting vodka brand Ciroc and purchasing tequila brand DeLeón. He sold his stake in DeLeón for about $200 million earlier this year.

He also created a fashion line and founded a media company. Combs claimed to be a billionaire.

Lawsuit alleges years of beatings, rape and sex trafficking

In November, 37-year-old Casandra Ventura, an R&B singer known as Cassie, filed a lawsuit alleging she met Combs in 2005, when she was 19 and he was 37.

Ventura and Combs dated on and off, starting in 2007, and a pattern of abuse emerged during that time, she said.