Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, the former music mogul, is headed to Manhattan federal court on Monday for his high-profile sex trafficking crimes trial.
Prosecutors have charged Combs with racketeering, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation for prostitution purposes. The charges stem from allegations made by four unnamed people.
Details of the accusations are related to “freak offs” or drug-fueled parties that Combs is said to have hosted with others, where victims were allegedly coerced into having sex with sex workers, sometimes filmed without consent, while Combs watched.
Combs and his “enterprise” of associates allegedly threatened victims with extortion or sometimes physical violence to remain quiet about the “freaks offs.”
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, rejected a plea deal and maintained his innocence.
Jury selection will begin Monday morning, and a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates will need to be seated in the case by the end of the week.
Here’s everything to know about the case.
Who is Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs?
Combs, 55, better known by his stage names “Diddy” or “Puff Daddy,” is a rapper, music producer and executive of Bad Boy Records who has made a name for himself producing some of the biggest artists of the past two decades, such as Mary J. Blige, Usher, Notorious B.I.G. and more.
Combs has faced various allegations of abuse and making threats against people.
His legal disputes took a turn in 2023 when his ex-partner, Cassie Ventura, filed a lawsuit against him alleging rape, sex trafficking and physical abuse. Combs claimed innocence, but the two settled the case out of court.
But a slew of civil court cases brought by other people emerged after, many with allegations of abuse or coercion into sex acts.
What are the charges against Combs?
In September, Combs was arrested in New York on a three-count indictment brought by a grand jury.
The indictment claimed he ran a decades-long criminal enterprise using the people around him to assist in abusing women and coercing them into lurid sex acts.
That enterprise is central to prosecutors’ racketeering charge – a crime also known as RICO that was initially created to go after mobsters.
Using his power and influence, Combs allegedly lured people into his orbit with promises of career success or financial support and then became controlling over their lives, dictating everything from their housing to medical records.
Prosecutors say he used drugs, such as ecstasy, to make victims compliant with his desires and then directed “freak offs” which were recorded – sometimes unknowingly to the victim – and later used for Combs’ pleasure.
He allegedly used intimidation tactics such as brandishing an AR-15, threatening victims with financial consequences, claiming he would use embarrassing or incriminating footage in the “freak offs” against them and other methods to force women into doing what he wanted.
His arrest came six months after agents from the Department of Homeland Security raided two of the music mogul’s homes. During the raids, helicopters captured agents removing things from Combs’s home while two of his sons were detained – a typical procedure. The sons were released after the raid was complete and have not been charged.
Since the initial indictment, prosecutors have brought two superseding indictments that include more counts of the same crimes and further details of abuse.
Combs could be facing life in prison if he is found guilty on the charges.
What to expect from the trial
The trial, overseen by District Judge Arun Subramanian, is expected to last eight weeks – thought it could be longer or shorter.
The prosecution is made up of several attorneys including Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey and former lead prosecutor in Ghislaine Maxwell’s case. The lead attorneys for the government include Emily Johnson, Madison Smyser, Mary Slavik, Meredith Foster and Mitzi Steiner.
Combs’s lead attorney is Marc Agnifilo, an experienced criminal defense attorney who previously represented NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Rainere, “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli, and more.
Prosecutors will use evidence collected during the home raids to assist their case. In the indictments, attorneys for the government alleged Combs had more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant stocked in his home to use during “freak offs,” as well as narcotics, and AR-15-style firearms with defaced serial numbers.
Agents said they also uncovered electronic devices that they say contain photos and videos of “freak offs.”
The defense previously tried to get the 2016 video of Combs beating up Cassie declared inadmissible but the judge denied the request.
Combs’s lawyer has asserted the videos will show adults having “consensual sex” and contain no evidence of violence, coercion, sex trafficking or other allegations.
It’s unclear who will testify in the case as the list is not publicly available but sources told CNN that Ventura is expected to serve as a central witness for the prosecution. Several other victims are expected to testify but they may remain unidentifiable to protect their identities.
Agnifilo said the defense is prepared to have several of Combs’s former employees testify to his “dedication, hard work, and inspiration.”
Although Combs is facing more than 30 other civil lawsuits, some containing sexual abuse allegations, those details are not permitted in court. Only allegations directly related to the charges in the indictment are allowed.
What comes next?
The trial will begin Monday, May 5, with jury selection.
A group of potential jurors in New York will be asked questions about themselves and their background, known as voir dire, so attorneys for both sides and the judge can determine the best people to judge the case against Combs.
Jurors’ identities are likely going to be kept confidential because some of the questions they will be asked will be about personal experiences with sexual assault or domestic abuse.
Once a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates are seated, opening arguments can begin.
Combs has been held in Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York while awaiting trial. The judge overseeing his case has denied his requests for bail.
