Current:Home > reviewsJohnathan Walker:Ex-Diddy associate alleges arrested Brendan Paul was mogul's drug 'mule,' Yung Miami was sex worker -Capitatum
Johnathan Walker:Ex-Diddy associate alleges arrested Brendan Paul was mogul's drug 'mule,' Yung Miami was sex worker
Indexbit View
Date:2025-04-06 10:20:05
An associate of Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested on Johnathan WalkerMonday, the same day two of the Bad Boy Records founder's homes were raided by Homeland Security Investigations agents.
Former Syracuse University basketball player Brendan Paul was arrested by Miami-Dade Police Department officers at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on felony charges for possession of suspected cocaine and possession of suspected marijuana candy, an arrest affidavit obtained by USA TODAY states. The arrest was made as a result of a joint effort with Miami-Dade, the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, per the affidavit.
"The defendant had the contraband inside of his person travel bags, which he claimed prior to being searched," the affidavit states. Upon testing, officers determined the substances were cocaine and edibles.
He was released on a $2,500 bond on Tuesday and has a hearing set for April 24. Attorney information was not available for Paul.
Paul is referred to as Combs "mule" in Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones Jr.'s civil lawsuit against the Bad Boy founder and Cuba Gooding Jr. for sexual assault and harassment.
In an amended lawsuit filed in a New York federal district court by Jones on Monday, he refers to Paul as Combs "mule," writing that he allegedly "procured, transported and distributed ecstasy, cocaine, GHB, ketamine, marijuana, mushrooms, and tuci by packing these substances in their carry-on luggage and going through TSA."
USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Combs to comment on Paul's arrest and allegations.
Jones worked with Combs on his most recent record, "The Love Album: Off the Grid." According to Jones, he and Combs worked together between September 2022 and November 2023, a partnership that resulted in nine songs on "The Love Album" for which Jones is credited as a producer. Diddy has denied Jones' allegations against him.
In the lawsuit, Jones alleges Combs "required" him and Paul "to carry (Combs') firearm on their person whenever they went out."
Defendant Kristina Khorram had Paul, Moy Baun and Frankie Santella carry out an assortment of responsibilities ranging from drug trafficking to the procurement of sex workers for Combs, according to Jones.
Paul was among one of Combs' employees that "would negotiate the fees the sex workers received and would ensure that the workers are paid," per the court documents.
According to Jones, City Girls rapper Yung Miami, along with two other women wellness coach Jade Ramey and rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's ex-girlfriend and co-parent Daphne Joy, were among the women "who were paid a monthly fee to work as Mr. Combs' sex workers."
Combs and Yung Miami were first linked in 2021. They later confirming they were dating in a June 2022 "Caresha Please" podcast episode.
The pair were aloof about their relationship status, but in an April 2023 profile with The Cut, the "Act Up" rapper said she was single.
USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Yung Miami, Ramey and Daphne Joy.
Jones' lawsuit has implicated other celebrities, including Yung Miami, whose unnamed cousin was accused of sexual assault after she allegedly "burst into the bathroom and began groping" Jones during a gathering on Thanksgiving Day 2022. Jones also claims producer Stevie J helped recruit sex workers for Combs and participated in sex parties referred to as "freak-offs" (a term Combs allegedly used to refer to sexual encounters with sex workers) according to the lawsuit.
Diddy's homes in Los Angeles, Miami raided by Homeland Security Investigations
Jones' amended lawsuit follows the reported raid of two of Combs' homes. The homes were reportedly searched by HSI on Monday as part of a federal investigation.
Federal officials raided Combs' Los Angeles home Monday, according to Rolling Stone and local Los Angeles news station Fox 11, amid lawsuits filed against him from accusers alleging the rapper and music mogul has raped or sexually assaulted them. Agents also searched Combs' Miami residence Monday, Rolling Stone and The Associated Press reported.
The day after Combs' homes were raided, attorney Aaron Dyer insisted on the rapper's innocence and criticized the federal invasion for its "gross overuse of military-level force." Dyer added that Combs was not detained by authorities, nor were any of the rapper's family members arrested during the raid.
"This unprecedented ambush – paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence – leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits," Dyer said in a statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, Taijuan Moorman
veryGood! (76)
Related
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Banana Republic’s Outlet Has Luxury Fall Staples Under $60, Plus Tops & Sweaters up to 70% off Right Now
- Dolphins star Tyreek Hill had an altercation with police. Here’s what we know
- Are you working yourself to death? Your job won't prioritize your well-being. You can.
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Unionized Workers Making EV Batteries Downplay Politics of the Product
- Aaron Rodgers documentary set to stream on Netflix in December
- Chipotle uses memes for inspiration in first-ever costume line with Spirit Halloween
- 3 years after the NFL added a 17th game, the push for an 18th gets stronger
- 'Scared everywhere': Apalachee survivors grapple with school shooting's toll
Ranking
- Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
- Aaron Rodgers documentary set to stream on Netflix in December
- Kandi Burruss Says This $19.99 Jumpsuit “Does Miracles” to “Suck in a Belly” and “Smooth Out Thighs”
- Kandi Burruss Says This $19.99 Jumpsuit “Does Miracles” to “Suck in a Belly” and “Smooth Out Thighs”
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- Southwest Airlines under pressure from a big shareholder shakes up its board
- Texas school districts say upgrades to the state’s student data reporting system could hurt funding
- Tyreek Hill’s traffic stop shows interactions with police can be about survival for Black men
Recommendation
Bodycam footage shows high
Commanders release kicker Cade York after two misses in season opener
How to measure heat correctly, according to scientists, and why it matters
49ers vs. Jets Monday Night Football live updates: Odds, predictions, how to watch
Travis Hunter, the 2
Take 50% Off a Peter Thomas Roth Serum That Instantly Tightens and Lifts Skin & More Sephora Deals
Tyreek Hill knee injury: What we know (and don't) about surgery mentioned in police footage
49ers vs. Jets Monday Night Football live updates: Odds, predictions, how to watch