R. Kelly was convicted of sex trafficking. Is his case a roadmap for Sean 'Diddy' Combs' probe?

Disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly was once worth hundreds of millions of dollars but is now serving what amounts to a life sentence in federal prison.

After decades of sex abuse allegations and an acquittal on child pornography charges, a documentary series titled "Surviving R. Kelly" finally gave his accusers a voice and helped bring down the singer. Within six months of its airing, Kelly was facing federal prosecution in New York.

He was convicted not only of sex trafficking but also of racketeering — charges that specify a person's "enterprise" was used to carry out criminal conduct.

Sean "Diddy" Combs now faces a similar federal investigation, though the accusations against him are significantly different and it remains unclear whether they will result in criminal charges.

Authorities have said little about the probe. But law enforcement sources have confirmed to The Times that Combs is under investigation for sex-trafficking tied at least in part to civil lawsuits filed by several women who have accused him of misconduct.

Combs has denied any wrongdoing, and his attorneys have slammed the investigation as unwarranted.

After federal agents searched the artist's homes in Florida and Los Angeles several weeks ago, his attorney decried a "premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs" and said the investigation "is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits."

Still, previous high-profile sex-trafficking cases could offer a window into how the feds typically build a case and can provide clues into what officials would need to bring charges.

"The playbook for these types of cases is R. Kelly, Jeffrey Epstein, Larry Ray and NXIVM's founder Keith Raniere," said Elizabeth Geddes, who delivered a six-hour closing argument in Kelly's conviction.

In November, Combs' former girlfriend Casandra Ventura, the singer known as Cassie, accused him in a lawsuit of rape. Within a day, he settled.

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