(NewsNation) — The Department of Homeland Security’s search of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ properties Monday was a “shocking turn of events” that seems to be happening “at warp speed,” the rapper’s former lawyer said.
Attorney Mark Geragos joined “CUOMO” on Monday alongside a panel of legal experts. Geragos formerly represented Combs but, as of his appearance Monday, is not involved in any legal matters arising from Monday’s raid.
“It is a shock,” Geragos said. “I’ve known Sean for at least over a decade. I’ve represented him and I will tell you it’s a shocking turn of events.”
Federal agents searched two properties belonging Combs in Los Angeles and Miami as part of an ongoing sex trafficking investigation by New York federal authorities, NewsNation affiliate WPIX confirmed Monday.
The specific reason for the raids wasn’t immediately clear. Homeland Security Investigations released the following statement to KTLA: “Earlier today, 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. We will provide further information as it becomes available.”
Agents may have been up against the clock, trying to access the properties while any potential evidence they were searching for was still available, NewsNation law and justice contributor Jennifer Coffindaffer said.
“The reason I think that they acted at this particular time on this particular day is there were rumors of actually P. Diddy leaving for some period of time and they wanted to make sure they got the electronics, the computers, the cellphones,” she said. “They didn’t want that to be gone.”
A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan declined to comment. Messages to Combs’ lawyers and other representatives seeking comment were not immediately returned.
There have been several sexual assault lawsuits filed against Combs in recent months.
“It is much easier to bring a case for child sex trafficking than it is for adult sex trafficking,” Florida prosecutor Dave Aronberg said on “CUOMO.” “To charge and convict someone of child sex trafficking you just need a commercial sex act. You don’t have to prove force, fraud or coercion like you do with adult sex trafficking. There was an allegation here of an underage person and that could make things really bad for Diddy.”