After Diddy's arrest, more victims are likely to come forward

The rap star was accused of abusing and threatening people for sex trafficking. Experts say the celebrity's arrest could give others a chance to tell their stories.

On September 16, federal law enforcement agents arrested Sean “Diddy” Combs and charged him with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and solicitation for prostitution after months of investigating the music artist and producer.

The federal indictment charges Combs with kidnapping, arson, bribery and assault to operate an undercover sex trafficking ring. Officials said he forced his victims into days-long sexual performances known as “freak offs.” Combs allegedly managed and recorded these acts and physically threatened, drugged, or injured his victims in order to get them to comply or to silence them after the fact.

According to the indictment, Combs allegedly ran this ring for over a decade and in multiple states.

A legal team working on behalf of alleged victims announced Tuesday that they would file more than 100 lawsuits against Combs.

Northeastern experts said these allegations are likely just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Combs' criminal activity, and given the recent arrest, more victims are likely to come forward.

“Seeing someone very famous being held accountable for their actions may make survivors who have been subjected to terrible acts feel safe or empowered to come forward as well,” said Hayat Bearat, visiting associate professor and interim director of the Domestic Violence Institute at Northeastern University. “The power dynamic has shifted a little bit now and these people can’t just get away with it.”

The federal indictment alleged that Combs, “as the leader of a multifaceted business empire,” used his business associates to carry out these criminal activities, including arranging travel and stocking hotel rooms for the “freak-offs.”

That and the scale of the crime suggest there may be more people involved, said Carlos Cuevas, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Northeastern University.

“This is not a one-person operation,” Cuevas said. “He will have other people around him who will help him. I'm curious to see who else comes to the fore when it comes to people who may also be charged. There will be a lot of attention on who attended these parties.”

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There was already speculation on the Internet about which celebrities it could be. Cuevas, a sexual violence expert, said Combs' money and celebrity likely enhanced the operation, making it larger and more elaborate than a typical sex trafficking operation.

In addition to naming more accomplices, Cuevas also said there would likely be more victims who would come forward.

Last year, people started speaking out against Combs. Several women filed lawsuits against him under New York's Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for sexual assault survivors and allowed them to file lawsuits for crimes committed years earlier. One of the lawsuits was filed by Combs' ex-singer Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura, in which she accused him of sexual assault, battery, sex trafficking and coercion to commit sexual acts.

Bearat said those complaints could have been a tip off to authorities.

“Anytime someone throws out the term 'human trafficking,' it could very well affect federal agencies,” Bearat said. “For someone with so much power and fame, just hearing a few allegations would certainly have triggered federal involvement.”

Cuevas said when people begin to speak out against a public figure's alleged misconduct, others typically feel more empowered to speak out, as was the case with convicted sex offender and disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein.

“It helps other people come forward and talk about their experiences,” Cuevas said. “The reality is that it is incredibly difficult to do this even in a case that does not attract much attention. …So when someone does this in such a high-profile case, they're on a different level in terms of the challenge and the potential backlash. I hope it is a case that encourages other people to come forward and disclose their experiences.”