New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Sean “Diddy” Combs have both recently been indicted on federal charges in New York.
Just over a year ago, Adams awarded the 54-year-old rapper, who now faces charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, a key to the city and declared September 15 “Diddy Day.” The 64-year-old former police captain, charged with bribery, wire fraud, and secretly soliciting campaign contributions from overseas donors, remarked of the NYC native media mogul, “The bad boy of entertainment is getting the key to the city from the bad boy of politics.”
But as both of their situations continue to unfold, here’s a closer look at Adams’s interactions with Diddy.
When Did Mayor Adams and Diddy Meet?
Mayor Adams and Diddy have met on several occasions at various public events and fundraisers in New York City, culminating in the award of the key to the city on September 15, 2022, which Adams designated as “Diddy Day.” Combs received this honor as a “beloved symbol of civic recognition and gratitude,” typically reserved for those whose service to the public and common good is exemplary, according to the city’s website.
“I’ve got that hustle. I’ve got that resilience,” Combs said during the ceremony. “I’ll never stop, and that’s because I was raised in New York. I want to thank y’all for this honor and just recognizing me being from New York, giving me the key to the city, and the mayor, thank you very much for this key.” The event coincided with the release of Combs’ album The Love Album: Off the Grid.
In an X post from September last year, Adams stated, “He might be the ‘bad boy’ of entertainment, but Sean Combs will forever be a New York City kid who made good. He’s given so much back to his roots, and every move he makes is proof that hustle pays off. Enjoy your key to the city, @Diddy!”
He might be the "bad boy" of entertainment, but Sean Combs will forever be a New York City kid who made good. He's given so much back to his roots, and every move he makes is proof that hustle pays off.
Enjoy your key to the city, @Diddy! pic.twitter.com/gLAHuwgjC3
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) September 15, 2023
Did Diddy Give the Key to the City Back?
In June, Combs returned the key at the request of Adams in response to the release of a video showing Combs attacking his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura. She described their relationship as “a cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking.”
The video, released by CNN in May, appeared to show Combs physically assaulting a woman in 2016. Shortly after, Mayor Adams sent a letter to Combs’ residences in New York and Los Angeles requesting the return of the key to the city, expressing that he was “deeply disturbed” by the footage.
“I strongly condemned these actions and stood in solidarity with all survivors of domestic and gender-based violence,” Adams wrote. “Our city has worked tirelessly to ensure that survivors were heard and seen by our administration.”
What Are Diddy’s Charges?
Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, accused of running a decades-long “criminal enterprise” that forced women into sex acts.
In an indictment unsealed earlier this month, federal prosecutors alleged that Combs threatened and abused women to fulfill his sexual desires, compelling them to engage in recorded sexual activities he referred to as “Freak Offs.” Additionally, the music mogul has faced accusations of rape and sexual abuse in at least nine civil lawsuits over the past year.
What Are Mayor Adams’ Charges?
Adams has been charged with bribery, wire fraud, and solicitation of contributions, making him the first sitting mayor in modern history to face federal criminal charges. U.S. Attorneys in the Southern District of New York unveiled a five-count indictment against Adams, accusing him of seeking and accepting illegal campaign contributions for his 2021 mayoral campaign, as well as other benefits from foreign nationals.
Adams stated he was “not surprised” by the charges and denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
How Else Are Diddy and Adams Tied to Each Other?
Diddy’s former bodyguard, Gene Deal, claimed that the investigation into Mayor Adams sparked the criminal case against Diddy during a recent interview before Adams’ indictment on five federal charges. Deal alleged that the Southern District of New York began looking into Diddy’s alleged crimes amid their investigation into the mayor.
“All the mayor’s people that he brought on in New York City are all resigning,” Deal said. “People aren’t going to tie this together, but if you look at it, you have to say that because of Mayor Adams and his relationship with Diddy, it led the Southern District of New York to start investigating Diddy based on the civil lawsuits filed against him.”
He asserted that the feds “found that there was some criminal activity” after reviewing the civil lawsuits from Ventura and Lil Rod, prompting them to pursue criminal charges.