“Takedown” host Chris Hansen argued Sean “Diddy” Combs’ connections to the rich and powerful were unlikely to protect him from federal charges as allegations against the hip hop mogul continue to pile up.
Combs’ mansions were raided last week after a series of damning civil lawsuits accused him of trafficking sex, guns and drugs and other bad behavior. He settled the first lawsuit, from R&B singer Cassie, his ex-girlfriend whose real name is Casandra Ventura, a day after she filed it.
Hansen argued that Combs, whose net worth is an estimated $1 billion, aligned himself with the rich and powerful to give him “credibility,” much like late sex-trafficking financier Jeffrey Epstein did.
“He was very successful in doing that and that made him a lot of money and gave him credibility outside the hip hop, rap world. And that’s what he was trying to do here. A lot like [Jeffrey] Epstein did with very powerful political and business figures,” he told Fox News host Jesse Watters on Wednesday.
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The former show host of “To Catch a Predator” said both Diddy and Epstein appeared to let fame and prestige cloud their judgment.
“These guys get drunk with power, allegedly — Diddy has said that these allegations are false — but they get drunk with power and all of a sudden they lose their balance and what’s right and what’s wrong, and they’re insulated, and they get everybody telling them they’re great,” he argued.
Despite his connections, the mogul was unlikely to escape charges due to the closely held federal investigation, Hansen argued.
Disgraced singer and producer R. Kelly also faced civil lawsuits before accusations of trafficking, he noted. R. Kelly is currently serving a 31-year prison sentence based on child pornography charges, racketeering and sex trafficking convictions.
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“It started with civil suits, then HSI [Homeland Security Investigations] got involved,” Hansen remarked.
“These civil suits are just like a silver platter for the feds to take these guys down,” Watters added.
Despite the federal investigation, Combs has not been charged with a crime and denied all accusations of wrongdoing.
Fox News’ Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.
