On Sept. 17, 2024, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted rapper and producer Sean Combs (also known as “Puff Daddy” or “Diddy”) in the Southern District of New York. In a 14-page, three-count indictment, the DoJ brought charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution against Combs.

Kara Bellew

The DOJ alleged that Combs, enabled by his vast business network and powerful celebrity status, perpetuated heinous acts of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse against multiple women. His indictment attracted widespread public attention and renewed focus on the role of race, celebrity and abuse of power in the aftermath of the #MeToo movement.

It is crucial to understand the full history of Combs’ unraveling—a story that culminates, rather than begins, with his criminal indictment. Legislation passed in the wake of the #MeToo movement enabled survivors and victims, who would otherwise have been time-barred by statutes of limitations, to file civil suits against Combs. One of these survivors, Cassie Ventura, allegedly endured over a decade of violence and abuse as Combs’ former girlfriend. Her civil suit prompted the filing of many others, which drew significant attention and eventually led to a criminal investigation and Combs’ indictment.