Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Facing Decades in Prison — What Are His Charges?

Content Warning: This article mentions allegations of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and human trafficking.

After less than a year of multiple sexual assault and harassment allegations, music mogul Sean Diddy Combs was arrested in a New York City hotel on Monday.

Diddy has been in Homeland Security Investigations's custody since his arrest at the Park Hyatt in Manhattan. Here's what we know about his ongoing charges.

Diddy was indicted by a grand jury in New York City on Monday. The indictment was unsealed on Tuesday, and the AP reported he was indicted on sex trafficking and federal racketeering charges. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison, as sex trafficking and racketeering have a 20-year maximum sentence.

The indictment stated he "engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals,” including physical violence to "fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct."

The indictment also describes Diddy's "Freak Offs," where he allegedly coerced "female victims and male sex workers into drugged-up, sometimes dayslong sexual performances." The events were first mentioned in Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura's lawsuit against Diddy in November 2023. Cassie stated Diddy often made her engage in Freak Offs against her will and when she was in an inebriated state.

Diddy reportedly cooperated with federal officials and traveled to New York last week "voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges.” Despite his arrest, his legal team maintains his innocence and said he has "nothing to hide" amid his legal woes.

“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the US Attorney’s Office,” Diddy's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said in a statement to CNN.

"Sean Diddy Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person but is not criminal."

Diddy has faced over ten lawsuits from former employees and collaborators, including Dawn Richard, who accused him of sexual assault, sexual battery, and false imprisonment, all of which he denies.