Witnesses in Sean 'Diddy' Combs case may testify before grand jury

In an escalating criminal investigation against music legend Sean “Diddy” Combs, federal prosecutors are preparing grand jury subpoenas for witnesses to testify in the sex trafficking investigation against him, according to a source close to the matter.

Investigators have already interviewed several witnesses and told them to prepare to testify, the source said, although it remains unclear exactly when that testimony will take place or how far along federal officials are in determining the opportunity to lay charges. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because the case is ongoing.

The grand jury news, first reported by CNN, comes two months after investigators searched Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami, looking for evidence as part of a wide-ranging investigation into allegations of sex trafficking against the artist.

Combs has not been charged with any crime and has denied any wrongdoing. The investigation was launched after three women accused him of rape, assault and other abuse dating back three decades. One of the allegations involved a minor. It is unclear whether these accusations, which Combs denies, are related to the investigation.

Little is known about the federal investigation, including the identities of the alleged victims. People familiar with the investigation who were not authorized to speak publicly said federal investigators were seeking telecommunications and theft records linked to Combs. In March, investigators searching Combs' Holmby Hills mansion emptied safes, dismantled electronics and left papers scattered in some rooms, sources told the Times.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security handles most sex trafficking investigations on behalf of the federal government. Legal experts say one reason the agency might be involved in the case is because some of Combs' accusers might be from other countries.

Combs' lawyers have sharply criticized the federal investigation, calling the searches of his home “weaponized” and a “witch hunt.”

Earlier this month, a video surfaced showing Combs violently attacking his then-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer known as Cassie, at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.

The video shows Combs chasing, kicking, dragging and throwing a glass vase at Ventura. It corroborates parts of a civil lawsuit she filed against Combs last year, which was settled a day after it was filed in New York federal court.

Combs posted a video on Instagram in which he apologized for his behavior in the video.