Who is Brendan Paul, local man named as 'mule' in Diddy sex-trafficking lawsuit?

Accusations that have rocked the entertainment industry include a Northeast Ohio connection. Brendan Paul was arrested on drug charges in South Florida Monday. The 25-year-old from Cleveland’s east side suburbs is also named in an explosive lawsuit against hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and his associates.

CRIMINAL CHARGES

Paul was arrested Monday at a Miami airport as he and others were attempting to board Combs’s private jet. According to Miami-Dade Police, officers working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security found cocaine and marijuana-laced candy in Paul’s bag. He was booked into jail and charged with felony counts of cocaine possession and controlled substance possession. He posted a $2,500 bond and was released from custody Tuesday.

Combs was not arrested. Later that day, federal agents searched and confiscated items from his homes in Miami and Beverly Hills.

CIVIL CASE

Combs has recently been at the center of controversy. In less than four months, he was sued for sexual assault and harassment five times. The most recent lawsuit, filed by a producer who worked on Combs’ latest album, leveled additional accusations that the rapper conspired with others in a RICO enterprise, allegedly acquiring and transporting drugs, firearms and sex workers.

READ MORE: Diddy accused of sex trafficking, assault and RICO crimes in vast lawsuit

The producer, Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, worked on Diddy’s Love album. Paul is also credited as a contributor on the album, an accomplishment he announced in a public post on his Facebook profile.

Lawsuit filed in Southern District of New York

Court documents include photos of Paul and Combs from the social media post. The lawsuit labeled Paul as Combs’s “mule” and said he “acquires and distributes” the rapper’s guns and drugs, while answering to Combs’ personal assistant. It also said he was responsible for getting cash payments to sex workers.

One section of the lawsuit recounted witnesses claiming to see Paul and others spiking bottles of champagne with ecstasy while on a yacht rented by Combs in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Jones’ allegations said Combs and his associates, including Paul, benefited financially from Combs’s “sex-trafficking venture.” They further claim Paul and others not only had knowledge of the illicit activity, but also aided and abetted it.

NORTHEAST OHIO CONNECTION

Before Paul was credited for contributing to Diddy’s "Love" Album, he grew up and played basketball in Northeast Ohio. He attended Brewster Academy and graduated from Hawken School before briefly playing basketball for Syracuse University.

According to his team bio there, Paul was a team captain at Hawken and received MVP honors there as a junior and senior. It lists Shaker Heights as his hometown.

Paul’s current residence, listed in arrest records, is in Chagrin Falls. News 5 visited the address on Wednesday. No one answered the door, but someone shouted “no comment” through a window.

BIGGER PICTURE

News 5 reached out to Paul’s attorney, Brian Bieber. In an email statement, he said, “We do not plan on trying this case in the media – all issues will be dealt with in Court.”

Combs has denied all allegations of sex trafficking and other crimes.

Jones claims the defendants listed in his lawsuit kept him under their control as part of a sex-trafficking “enterprise.”

Kirsti Mouncey, president and CEO of Northeast-Ohio-based organization Collaborative to End Human Trafficking, weighed in on the situation in a statement to News 5:

“Every time human trafficking is in the news it is a reminder that victims are exploited every day. It can happen to anyone, from anywhere. The connection to Northeast Ohio in these specific allegations remind us that it happens here, too. What’s important to focus on is that human trafficking is solvable. Everyone can work together to end human trafficking and empower survivors by learning about the issue, understanding the underlying issues and root causes, knowing what to look for, and sharing that information with community groups.

"At the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking, we offer valuable training and programs that empower individuals and organizations to make a difference at collabtoendht.org. ”

WHAT’S NEXT

Paul’s next court appearance on criminal drug charges is in late April.

Jones is seeking at least $30 million in damages in the civil case.

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