Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Cassie Ventura 'May Have Been the Spark' That Started Trafficking Investigation, R. Kelly Prosecutor Says

Sean "Diddy" Combs' ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura's allegations against the record producer may have sparked the human trafficking investigation against him.

Cassie recently settled a civil suit with the rapper after accusing him of physical and sexual abuse throughout the course of their years-long relationship. During a sit-down with Chris Cuomo on NewsNation, R. Kelly prosecutor Nadia Shihata weighed in on how that case may have affected the current Homeland Security investigation.

"I think Cassie was likely probably one of the first people that prosecutors and agents spoke with in this investigation," the attorney said. "[She] may have served as a part of the basis for obtaining the search warrants here."

"No reasonable prosecutor is just going to rely on allegations in a civil complaint," she continued. "But they will have met with her in all likelihood, assessed her credibility, received corroborating information from her and then sought to corroborate her information in other ways, and, so, I suspect that she may have been the spark for this investigation."

Cuomo turned his next question to criminal defense lawyer Mark Geragos, asking him if he felt confident that authorities "are going to look for a lot more beyond" just what Cassie alleged about her relationship with Diddy in the ongoing case.

"This federal investigation seems to have used the civil lawsuits, and starting with hers, as a roadmap," Mark replied. "In order to get the search warrant, I'm sure they went to her or approached her or her lawyer ... They came to some kind of a agreement there. She then testifies or she makes a proffer or she cooperates in giving a statement. They use that to get this the search warrants. But none of that, to me, is surprising."

Cuomo argued "something smells weird" about the whole case, noting that authorities "went in so heavy and hot to his house" but no arrests were made.

"Look, none of this is ordinary," Nadia chimed in. "Certainly, they went in with a lot of firepower. That's not something you normally see in cases, but I'd be hesitant to say that nothing is happening. There is, I suspect, a lot happening behind the scenes, not in public view."

As OK! previously reported, federal agents raided Diddy's homes in Miami and L.A. last month in connection with a trafficking investigation. The producer's lawyer Aaron Dyer later released a statement slamming the search as a "gross overuse of military-level force."

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"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 continued. "Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name."