Diddy Surfaces in L.A. Amid Federal Probe & After Cassie Backlash

Diddy has returned to the West Coast after laying low in Florida for the past several weeks -- this amid his growing legal woes  -- and TMZ has video of him out and about in La La Land.

Check out this footage we obtained ... the Bad Boy Records founder was seen dressed in an all-black jumpsuit while chatting up an unidentified male on a sidewalk in WeHo Wednesday ... and he was looking pretty damn happy.

When a fan calls out to Diddy, the guy smiles and waves ... while also throwing an "L" and prayer hands too -- not the least bit stressed, despite his very serious situation lately.

BTW, we got extra footage of Diddy talking to a woman during this same outing -- and they were having a friendly conversation ... with the two of them even hugging at the end. Unclear who this gal was ... but she certainly wasn't hesitant to chat Puff up out on the sidewalk.

Diddy's unexpected pop-up comes not long after all the backlash he's faced for laying hands on his ex-girlfriend Cassie. For those who missed it ... last month, surveillance footage from 2016 surfaced, which shows Diddy beating down on his ex in a hotel hallway.

He responded to the video by offering up an apology on social media, calling the incident "inexcusable" -- and noting he sought professional help afterwards.

However, Diddy is facing a number of sexual misconduct allegations across multiple civil cases ... which, in part, sparked federal raids on his L.A. and Miami homes. Diddy's lawyer called the raids a "witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits."

Diddy had also issued a general denial amid the mounting allegations, noting in a December Instagram post ... "Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family, and for the truth."

Diddy has yet to be arrested or charged with any crime ... but murmurings of a potential indictment have circulated in recent weeks. In light of that, it's interesting to see him here in Cali again ... the first time he's come out here since all this drama went down.