A lawyer for Sean “Diddy” Combs is speaking out a day after the rapper’s homes were searched by U.S. Homeland Security, calling them a “witch hunt based on meritless accusations.”
Aaron Dyer, a corporate investigations and white-collar defense lawyer for Combs, said the music mogul is innocent and criticized the raids in a statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday. “Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,” Dyer said. “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”
Combs “was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities,” Dyer said, and none of the rapper’s family members were arrested.
“This unprecedented ambush – paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence – leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits,” Dyer continued.
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.”
Federal officials raided Combs’ Los Angeles home Monday, according to Rolling Stone and local Los Angeles news station Fox 11, amid lawsuits filed against him from accusers alleging the rapper and music mogul has raped or sexually assaulted them.
Agents also searched Combs’ Miami residence Monday, Rolling Stone, NBC News and The Associated Press reported.
When reached for comment regarding a case on Combs, a Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson said in a statement to USA TODAY Monday that “Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.”
(USA Today)
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