CELEBRITY names, shocking footage of alleged sexual trafficking, brutal video of a violent attack, and other bombshell evidence is expected in the federal trial for music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Opening arguments started on Monday, giving the public a preview of what to expect throughout the highly-anticipated trial of the disgraced hip-hop star.
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Combs, 55, is charged with sex trafficking by force, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors say Combs, with the help of his staff, “abused, threatened and coerced women” into drug-fueled sex orgies with male prostitutes, which he branded “freak-offs.”
The federal government’s case against Combs includes haunting 2016 hotel surveillance footage of the rapper physically assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who is expected to testify against him as soon as Monday.
Prosecutors are also expected to show video recordings of the alleged freak-offs, which Combs argues were entirely consensual.
Judge Arun Subramanian cautioned jurors on Monday to be careful about what they consider as evidence.
“Questions are not evidence,” Subramanian said to the jury, consisting of eight men and four women.
“Only the answers given by the witnesses and the documents are evidence”
The Manhattan trial is underway with 12 jurors sworn in after prospective jurors were asked if they were familiar with several celebrities who might come up during the trial last week.
It comes as…
Prospective jurors were asked about their knowledge of celebrities, including Michael B. Jordan, Mike Meyers, Kid Cudi, and Kanye West, although it’s unclear if the stars will be called to testify.
The celebrities have not been accused of any wrongdoing.
While it’s unclear what the named A-listers have to do with the trial, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani said the public should be prepared to hear names of other celebrities dropped on the stand.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we start hearing the names of other people who participated in the freak-offs,” Rahmani, who is not involved in the federal trial, told The U.S. Sun.
“Now, they haven’t been charged in this case, but some of them have been named in civil lawsuits brought by Diddy’s victims, many of whom are represented by attorney Tony Buzbee.
“So, I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the victim witnesses in this case mentions another celebrity.”
He said while celebrities being mentioned might not end in criminal charges, “It will certainly tarnish their reputation.”
“The last thing any celebrity wants right now is to be associated with Sean Diddy Combs,” he added.
Lisa Bloom, the attorney representing Dawn Richard, an artist previously signed to Combs’ record label, and a John Doe in their civil lawsuits against Combs, said the testimony brought forth in the trial will be incriminating evidence against anyone who took part in the alleged freak-offs.
“Anybody who is involved should be concerned. Absolutely. One hundred percent,” Bloom said.
Diddy locked eyes with us as he entered the courtroom – inside the trial of the decade
By Israel S-Rodriguez, Senior News Reporter at The U.S. Sun:
The federal sex trafficking trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs began with jury selection on May 5.
Combs is standing trial at the Southern District of New York Courthouse in Lower Manhattan – an intimidating federal courthouse where the cases of Ghislaine Maxwell, Donald Trump, and Bernard Madoff, among others, were tried.
Once a powerful founder of a music and business empire, Combs has been reduced to a defendant, inmate 37452-054, stripped of his mogul status, and now standing trial on five federal charges with the full wrath of the United States government against him.
When I attended Day 3 of jury selection at the federal courthouse on May 7, the buzz around the start of the trial was palpable.
Hours before the courthouse opened its doors, more than a dozen reporters and members of the public stood in line in hopes of securing a seat in the gallery for the high-profile trial.
As you walk through the glass door entrance of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse, you are met by bulletproof vest-clad court officers.
All visitors must separate their electronic devices from their personal belongings, which are passed through a metal detector.
Visitors walk through a metal detector before a court officer hands them a poker chip.
The courthouse uses a poker chip system to sort the number of electronic devices visitors are in possession of.
Electronic devices, such as Bluetooth-powered headphones, voice recorders, laptops, cellphones, and smart watches, are confiscated before you’re allowed to enter the courthouse’s main hallway.
As about a half-dozen reporters and I waited in the gallery for jury selection, we witnessed how Combs entered the courtroom shackle-free.
Combs entered with his hands pressed together, greeted his defense team before he examined the gallery, and locked eyes with reporters and potential jurors.
The 55-year-old disgraced Bad Boy Records executive was attentive and engaged with his counsel as they grilled dozens of potential jurors.
As jury selection wrapped up for the day, Combs embraced each of his female defense attorneys before he mouthed “thank you” to a handful of supporters in the gallery.
Combs’ trial is being held on the 26th floor in Judge Arun Subramanian’s courtroom and is expected to last for eight weeks.
We’ll bring it all to you on The U.S. Sun.
Rahmani said in addition to powerful testimony, video evidence will drive the prosecutors’ case.
In May 2024, CNN published a disturbing video from 2016 that appeared to show Diddy kicking and shoving Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway.
The video came to light after Ventura filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of raping and physically abusing her throughout their years-long relationship.
Ventura said the 2016 assault happened while she was leaving a freak-off where Combs “became extremely intoxicated and punched Ms. Ventura in the face, giving her a black eye,” the court filing alleged.
She said she was trying to leave the hotel room after Combs fell asleep, but he woke up and chased her before beating her and throwing glass vases at her in the hallway, the lawsuit said.
Combs admitted to the “inexcusable” behavior in a video statement after the hotel footage emerged.
“I take full responsibility for my actions in that video,” Combs said in May 2024.
“I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”
Diddy’s charges explained by a lawyer
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani explained the set of charges Diddy is facing to The U.S. Sun:
“Diddy is facing three charges, or three sets of charges.
“The first is racketeering, which you typically see with organized crime enterprises – so the mob, cartels, street gangs -but we’re seeing it a lot more in sex trafficking cases.
“And you don’t need an organization like the mob, as long as it’s an enterprise, which is something that consists of two or more people, and they engage in two or more RICO predicate acts, that’s enough for racketeering.
“Racketeering is a powerful charge because it allows the government to bring in all sorts of evidence of criminal activity, as well as all sorts of people, into that racketeering conspiracy.
“And anyone who’s a co-conspirator, they’re on the hook for any criminal acts committed in furtherance of the conspiracy.
“The most serious charge, though, is sex trafficking.
“What separates sex trafficking from normal sex? Adults, of course, can consent to any type of sex, no matter how freaky it is. But sex trafficking has one of three elements: force, fraud, or coercion.
“And the government is saying that Diddy used force to force these men and women to participate in these freak-offs, and he coerced them by drugging them.
“The least serious charge is the prostitution, sometimes called the Man Act, and that’s engaging in prostitution using some sort of interstate commerce across state lines. That obviously is unlawful.
“Typically, you don’t see federal cases for prostitution only, which is why it’s the least serious of the crimes.”
VIDEO EVIDENCE
Although the defense tried to get the video excluded from evidence in the federal trial, the judge ruled the video could be shown because it was a “fair and accurate” depiction of what occurred between Combs and Ventura.
“The most powerful evidence that was seized by the government has to be the videos,” Rahmani said.
“Because this video doesn’t lie. Witnesses can lie.”
Rahmani said the evidence against Diddy will be even stronger if video footage of the alleged freak-offs is shown in court.
“Only when CNN got a copy of that video in May of last year did Diddy finally issue an apology,” Rahmani explained.
“That’s how powerful video evidence is. And that’s why the government wanted to get the hard drives, the iPhones, the iPads, because Diddy reportedly videotaped these freak-offs.”
While Combs’ lawyers insist the supposed freak-off videos show “full consenting adults,” Rahmani argues the evidence could show how Combs might have used his position of power in the music industry to exert control over his alleged victims.
“The video of the freak-offs, if they exist, may be the most damning evidence in this case,” Rahmani said.
“It may be the reason Combs gets convicted.”
Experts also told The U.S. Sun they expect Diddy’s legal team will build their whole defense around the question of consent.
“Defendants in sexual assault cases typically only have two defenses, Bloom explained.
“Number one, I didn’t do it. Or number two, I did it, but it was consensual. So that is his defense, that the sexual acts were consensual.
“And obviously, there are a lot of people who dispute that. He’s been sued by a couple dozen people at this point.
“But a trial is about evidence and the prosecution will need to put on evidence to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
“The defense, their job is to poke holes in the evidence and to say it’s not sufficient for there to be a conviction and also to present the defense.
“And his defense is that he was a swinger engaged in consensual sexual conduct at these parties, but he didn’t do anything illegal.”
Rahmani agreed: “Diddy’s defense is entirely going to be based on consent.
“His lawyers will argue that these individuals participated in these freak-offs willingly, and now they’re telling a different story, because they want money, they want revenge, or they want fame.
“So Diddy’s entire defense in this case will be based on the notion of consent.”
If convicted, Combs could face a life sentence in prison.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
