Sean "Diddy" Combs used his fame as one of the biggest names in hip-hop to coerce women into engaging in demeaning sex acts as part of a decades-long scheme of sex trafficking and racketeering, according to a three-count federal indictment unsealed on Tuesday (September 17.)

Starting in 2009, Combs used his vast media empire including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment to transport women, as well as male sex workers, across state lines to take part in recorded sexual performances called "Freak Offs" in which the music mogul would watch and masturbate, prosecutors said.

"It's a very serious indictment." said Tre Lovell, a civil trial attorney with The Lovell Firm. "There's an upwards of ten civil lawsuits, all containing very consistent and similar allegations of rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, drugging, use of narcotics, things like that. And when you have a systemic line of civil lawsuits all alleging the same thing, it's going to get the attention of the federal authorities."

READ: Sean 'Diddy' Combs charged with racketeering, sex trafficking

The 54-year-old rapper and producer was arrested in Manhattan on Monday night and is expected to appear in court before the U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky at 2:30 p.m. EDT (1830 GMT) on Tuesday. Combs could face decades or even life in prison if convicted of the three felony counts he faces: racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. For his part, Lovell characterized the charges as "severe" in nature.

The charges were brought by the office of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, which is seeking to have Combs remain detained pending trial.

Combs is the highest-profile person in the music industry to face criminal charges for sexual misconduct since R. Kelly, the R&B singer. Kelly was sentenced to a combined 31 years in prison after being convicted in New York in 2021 and Chicago in 2022 on charges including sex trafficking, racketeering and child sex crimes.

"Ever since the #MeToo movement, there has been a big push to go after people who are engaging in criminal activity in terms of sex, rape, things like that," Lovell said. "Before, it wasn't under the microscope and wasn't the subject as much of the federal authorities."

Also known during his career as P. Diddy and Puff Daddy, Combs founded Bad Boy records and is credited with helping turn rappers and R&B singers such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars in the 1990s and 2000s.

(Production by: Dan Fastenberg)