Sean “Diddy” Combs to Stand Trial on Federal Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Charges in May 2025
Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs is set to face a federal trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges starting May 5, 2025. The 54-year-old music icon, famous for his groundbreaking role in the entertainment industry,
pleaded not guilty to a three-count indictment accusing him of using his businesses, including Bad Boy Entertainment, to transport women and male sex workers across state lines for recorded sexual performances, referred to as “Freak Offs.”
The latest development came during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan on October 10, 2024. Combs’ legal team, led by attorney Marc Agnifilo, raised concerns about alleged improper leaks from federal agents regarding the case. However, prosecutor Emily Johnson dismissed these claims, labeling them unfounded. Additionally, Agnifilo requested a gag order to prevent federal agents and prosecutors from leaking evidence to the media, citing a 2016 video that allegedly shows Combs striking and dragging a woman. The judge has yet to rule on this request.
Combs, dressed in tan prison attire, appeared in court where he blew kisses to his family, including his mother and children, who were present for support. After the hearing, he was escorted out by U.S. Marshals. Since his arrest in September 2024, Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, as his request for bail was denied. An appeals court is expected to review his plea for release at a later date.
If convicted, Combs faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and could potentially spend the rest of his life in prison. The charges against him include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors allege that Combs lured women with promises of drugs, financial support, career advancement, or romantic relationships. They also claim that he used video recordings of the sexual encounters as blackmail to silence the victims, sometimes resorting to intimidation by displaying weapons.
Though Combs is not directly accused of non-consensual sexual acts, prosecutors allege he physically assaulted some women involved. His defense maintains that the sexual encounters were consensual.
The trial is expected to span at least three weeks for the prosecution, with the defense anticipated to take about one week. As the legal battle unfolds, Combs faces one of the most serious challenges of his career, with potential long-term consequences for his legacy in the entertainment world.
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