Raids at 'Diddy's' homes in LA, Miami signal that prosecutors are confident in case, expert says

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LOS ANGELES -- The searches of 2 homes owned by hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs were meant to find grounds to corroborate accounts of his accusers, and a ineligible adept said the raids are a motion that national prosecutors successful New York, who are starring the investigation, are assured successful the lawsuit they're building.

"The information that they are taking this assertive measurement tells maine they person cooperative victims and they're moving rapidly to marque a case," said Rebekah Donaleski, a spouse astatine the instrumentality steadfast Cooley LLP and a erstwhile national authoritative who supervised the palmy prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein's paramour Ghislaine Maxwell.

Prosecutors person interviewed a fig of Combs' accusers, including those who filed civilian lawsuits, instrumentality enforcement sources acquainted with the substance person told ABC News. The adjacent measurement is trying to corroborate what those accusers said.

"Any innocuous item that you tin corroborate -- that's what you're trying to do," Donaleski said. "Perpetrators support mementos. They support photos, videos, things similar that."

Meantime, 1 of Combs' employees named successful 1 of the lawsuits, 25-year-old Brendan Paul, was arrested connected cause charges Monday.

The civilian suit claims Paul carried drugs and guns for Combs. He's since posted bail.

Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations seized computers and different physics devices astatine Combs' homes successful the Holmby Hills vicinity of Los Angeles and Miami, the sources person said, arsenic investigators hunt for photos, videos oregon different grounds that accusers mightiness person spoken of during interviews.

"A search, particularly 1 that is this precocious profile, signals they person assurance they person beardown grounds and the velocity with which they person moved tells maine the grounds is compelling," Donaleski said.

Sources person described the investigation arsenic focused connected imaginable sex-trafficking offenses oregon violations of the Travel Act, which prohibits interstate oregon overseas question for the purposes of a enactment act.

On Tuesday, Aaron Dyer, an lawyer for Combs, said the mogul was cooperative and spoke to authorities. The lawyer said Combs is "innocent and volition proceed to combat each azygous time to wide his name."

Dyer alleged authorities utilized an "excessive amusement of unit and hostility" during the searches.

Where is Diddy?

Meanhwile, Combs' whereabouts remained chartless to the nationalist connected Wednesday.

Dyer noted that authorities person not imposed question restrictions connected Combs and his children, adding that if helium has flown determination extracurricular of the U.S., helium has a close to bash so.

A hip-hop producer-turned-business mogul

Combs is among the astir influential hip-hop producers and executives of the past 3 decades. Formerly known arsenic Puff Daddy, helium built 1 of hip-hop's biggest empires, blazing a way with respective entities attached to his celebrated name. He is the laminitis of Bad Boy Records and a three-time Grammy victor who has worked with a slew of top-tier artists including Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and 112.

Combs' web of non-music concern ventures, including lucrative private-label spirits, sportswear manner and a TV network, has been falling isolated since the maltreatment lawsuits began surfacing.

His vodka and tequila woody with Diageo, a large shaper of distilled spirits, formally disintegrated successful January erstwhile the 2 parties settled communal lawsuits, leaving the brands successful Diageo's hands.

His manner line, Sean John, has disappeared from Macy's, 1 of the line's superior partners; Sean John items stay for merchantability astatine Walmart's online store, though galore items are heavy marked down oregon disposable lone successful off-sizes.

And past November, Combs resigned arsenic president of Revolt TV, which focuses connected euphony and societal justness issues for African Americans.

ABC News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.