Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appears in federal court to face criminal charges

Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has faced a parade of sexual assault lawsuits and a federal human trafficking probe in the last year, has been arrested in New York City. Follow for live updates.

Federal prosecutors are arguing that Sean “Diddy” Combs should not be released on bail because he has reached out to witnesses and victims — and some witnesses say they are scared of him. Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson told the judge Tuesday that the investigation uncovered evidence of Combs allegedly assaulting victims by choking, hitting, kicking and dragging victims, often by their hair. Combs has reached out to some victims, according to Johnson. After Dawn Richard, a former member of a music group Combs started, filed her lawsuit on September 10, Combs reached out to another member of the band who publicly denied the allegations three days later. Johnson said Combs called and texted that other woman 58 times in four days. Richard has accused Combs of sexual battery, sexual harassment and false imprisonment, among other allegations, in a civil lawsuit filed in New York federal court. According to Johnson, Combs also reached out to a different victim after she filed a lawsuit in November. Combs tried to contact that person twice over three days. In a recorded call, Combs urged the victim — who was financially dependent on him — to say she willingly engaged in sex acts, Johnson said. The prosecutor said “the risk of danger is acute” if Combs were to be released on bail.