The Brief

• A jury has been selected in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial in New York.
• Federal prosecutors will begin trying to prove that Diddy turned his hip-hop conglomerate into a racketeering enterprise that forced women to satisfy his sexual desires for two decades.
• Jury selection concluded in the morning, which was to be followed by lawyers’ opening statements. Testimony could begin as soon as this afternoon.

Sean “Diddy” Combs is standing trial on sweeping federal charges. Prosecutors allege Combs physically and sexually abused individuals for over a decade as the acting leader of a sordid empire.

Prosecutors also allege Combs used force and coercion to get victims to engage in what he called “Freak Offs,” which were often recorded and could last days.

What’s happening today?

Federal prosecutors will begin trying to prove Monday that Sean “Diddy” Combs turned his hip-hop conglomerate into a racketeering enterprise that forced women to satisfy his sexual desires for two decades.

Jury selection concluded in the morning, which was to be followed by lawyers’ opening statements. Testimony could begin as soon as Monday afternoon.

The final stage of jury selection began with lawyers from both sides rejecting several candidates to get to a panel of 12. Each side eliminated the maximum number of people they were allowed, with the defense dismissing 10 and prosecutors striking six. They didn’t have to explain their reasons unless the opposing side claimed they were striking jurors for inappropriate reasons such as race.

A defense lawyer did just that, claiming that prosecutors struck seven Black people from the jury, which he said amounted to a pattern. But the judge rejected the discrimination claim, saying Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey had given “race-neutral reasons” to explain each strike and that the defense had failed to show purposeful discrimination.

Comey also revealed that at least one text message to be unveiled during the trial will describe Combs’ behavior as “bipolar or manic.”

 

 

Diddy trial live updates from the courtroom

On the contrary, Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos said during her opening, the trial of Combs is a misguided overreach by prosecutors, who are trying to turn consenting sex between adults into a prostitution and sex trafficking case.

“Sean Combs is a complicated man. But this is not a complicated case. This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money,” Geragos told the eight men and four women on the jury. “There has been a tremendous amount of noise around this case over the past year. It is time to cancel that noise,” she added, noting the intense public attention the case has received.

A federal prosecutor began summarizing the state’s case Monday in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial, telling jurors that the hip-hop and business icon coerced women into drugged-fueled sexual encounters and kept them in line through violence.

“This is Sean Combs,” federal prosecutor Emily Johnson told the Manhattan jury as she pointed at him. Combs leaned back in his chair as she spoke. “To the public, he was Puff Daddy or Diddy. A cultural icon. A businessman. Larger than life.”

“But there was another side to him. A side that ran a criminal enterprise,” Johnson said. “During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant’s crimes. But he didn’t do it alone. He had an inner circle of bodyguards and high-ranking employees who helped him commit crimes and cover them up.”

Those crimes, she said, included: Kidnapping, arson, drugs, sex crimes, bribery and obstruction.

The defense’s opening statement was to follow. (The Associated Press / Monday 11:00 a.m.)

A jury has been selected in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial in New York. (The Associated Press / Monday 9:50 a.m.)

Combs, wearing a white sweater, entered the courtroom shortly before 9 a.m., hugged lawyers and gave a thumbs up to supporters seated in the benches behind him. Earlier, the line to get into the courthouse stretched down the block. Combs’ mother and some of his children were escorted past the crowd and brought straight into the building. (The Associated Press / Monday 9:30 a.m.)

According to sources, the court calendar this week will be Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Today, the final jury selection will be made, and they will immediately be sworn in. Opening statements will begin as soon as they are sworn in. Prosecutors go first, followed by the defense. They are planning to get at least the prosecution opening statement in. (FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers / Sunday 12 p.m.)

Probable order of events: Monday will be the opening statement by the prosecution, followed by the opening statement of the defense, which may or may not happen today. That would then go to Tuesday. After the defense opening statement, the prosecution will start to present their case. (FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers / Sunday 12 p.m.)

Is the Diddy trial going to be televised?

Unlike other recent high-profile celebrity trials, Combs’ court case won’t be broadcast live because federal courtrooms don’t allow electronic recordings inside — meaning courtroom sketch artists serve as the public’s eyes in the courtroom.

Key evidence
A central piece of evidence is a surveillance video from March 2016 that shows Combs striking and kicking his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. Prosecutors say the assault occurred during one of the so-called events.

November 16, 2023
Cassie says in a lawsuit that Combs subjected her to years of abuse, including beatings and rape. Cassie, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura, signed to Combs’ label in 2005, and the two were on-again-off-again romantic partners for more than a decade, starting in 2007.

The lawsuit filed in federal court says Combs was “prone to uncontrollable rage” and subjected her to “savage” beatings. It says he plied her with drugs, forced her to have sex with other men, and raped her in her home as she was trying to end the relationship in 2018. Combs, through his attorney, “vehemently denies” the accusations.

Count 1: Racketeering Conspiracy

Count One charges that, from at least in or about 2004 through in or about 2024, the defendant participated in a racketeering conspiracy during which he agreed with other employees and associates of his businesses to commit kidnapping, arson, bribery of a witness, obstruction of justice, drug distribution, forced labor, sex trafficking, and transportation for purposes of engaging in prostitution.

Count 2: Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion

Count Two charges the defendant with sex trafficking an adult female victim through force, fraud, and coercion between in or about 2009 and in or about 2018.

Count 3: Transportation to Engage in Prostitution

Count Three charges the defendant with transporting that female victim and male commercial sex workers to engage in prostitution between in or about 2009 and in or about 2018. 

• Count 4: Count Four charges the defendant with sex-trafficking a second adult female victim through force, fraud, and coercion between in or about 2021 and in or about 2024.
• Count Five charges the defendant with transporting that second female victim and male commercial sex workers to engage in prostitution between in or about 2021 and in or about 2024.
• Additional charge: Mann Act charge filed April 3 and an allegation that he forced a woman into sex trafficking between 2021 and 2023. The Mann Act is a federal law that makes it a crime to transport someone across state lines for illegal sexual activity.

At the center of the allegations are what investigators call “Freak Off” parties, where victims were allegedly drugged, coerced and exploited.

How many years does he face?

In the context of Diddy’s legal troubles, the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) charge plays a crucial role in the prosecution’s case. According to the FBI, RICO laws allow authorities to target organizations or individuals engaged in patterns of criminal behavior over time, including activities such as money laundering, drug trafficking, extortion, and fraud. 

In Diddy’s case, federal prosecutors have included RICO charges as part of the broader criminal indictment, alleging that he orchestrated a “freak off” sex trafficking operation, which involved drugging and coercing victims into sex acts. These allegations suggest a coordinated, long-term pattern of criminal behavior, which is a key component of what RICO is designed to address. The RICO charge helps prosecutors target not only Diddy but also any associates or business entities that may have been involved in a broader criminal enterprise.

As part of the case, Diddy faces allegations of racketeering, which could lead to significant penalties if convicted, including lengthy prison sentences and substantial fines, highlighting the severity of the charges.

‘Freak Offs’

The “Freak Offs” are described by federal prosecutors as private parties organized by Diddy, where participants were allegedly drugged and coerced into performing sex acts. These gatherings, at times, reportedly involved minors. Diddy is accused of trafficking victims and providing drugs to facilitate the abuse. Authorities are investigating further claims that these “Freak Off” parties were part of a larger pattern of sex trafficking. S: Fox 5 New York