Federal prosecutors maintain there’s no way out for Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The Bad Boy Records founder has pleaded not guilty to a count apiece of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, as well as one count of transportation for purposes of prostitution.
But authorities have said that Combs’ arrest on Sept. 16 was only the latest step in their quest to bring the 54-year-old to justice for more than a decade’s worth of alleged crimes, and that their investigation is far from over.
“Between at least 2008 and the present, Combs abused, threatened and coerced victims to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct,” Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in detailing the charges against the rapper during a Sept. 17 press conference.
Combs stands accused, Williams said, of using a vast network of employees within his business empire and other associates to cover up crimes including sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and the obstruction of justice.
“The indictment alleges that Combs abused and exploited women and other people for years and in a variety of ways,” the prosecutor continued, using “force, threats of force and coercion to cause victims to engage in extended sexual performances with male commercial sex workers.”