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The trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, the American music mogul facing accusations of operating a sex trafficking enterprise, is nearing its conclusion.
The 55-year-old was apprehended last September and is contending with charges that include racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution. A conviction could result in a life sentence.
Mr. Combs has entered a plea of not guilty and refuted all allegations.
An initial pool of prospective jurors was narrowed down to a panel of 12, along with six alternates.
Throughout the proceedings, the jury has heard testimony from 34 witnesses, encompassing former partners, past employees of Mr. Combs, male escorts, and federal agents.
In their closing statement on Thursday, the prosecution asserted that Mr. Combs is the “leader of a criminal enterprise” who employed violence and intimidation in “brutal crimes”.
Mr. Combs’s defense is scheduled to deliver their closing arguments on Friday.
Subsequently, the matter will be handed to the 12-member jury to determine the hip-hop mogul’s fate.
Mr. Combs is also subject to numerous civil lawsuits from individuals alleging that he abused his position to drug, assault, rape, intimidate, and silence them. He has characterized these individual suits as attempts “for a quick payday”.
The court proceedings are open to the public; however, they will not be televised or streamed online.
Generally, cameras, phones, and electronic devices are prohibited in US federal courtrooms.
The trial commenced in early May with jury selection at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in lower Manhattan.
US District Judge Arun Subramanian informed jurors that the trial could span approximately eight weeks.
Dozens of potential jurors underwent a vetting process by the court.
The selection procedure included prospective jurors reviewing a comprehensive list of places and people potentially mentioned during the trial, featuring names such as Kanye West and Kid Cudi.
The “People and Places” list was so extensive that Judge Subramanian remarked he “felt like I was reading an appendix for Lord of the Rings”.
Potential jurors were also required to complete questionnaires inquiring about their “views about hip hop artists” or “feelings concerning violence, sexual assault”.
The judge reiterated the importance of selecting a fair and impartial jury on several occasions.
Most prospective jurors had encountered news reports regarding the allegations in the case, and many had viewed footage of Mr. Combs assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel corridor.
In the federal criminal case being adjudicated in New York, Mr. Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation for the purpose of prostitution.
Many of the most serious allegations pertain to the racketeering conspiracy charge.
This encompasses accusations of kidnapping, drugging, and coercing women into sexual activities, sometimes involving firearms or threats of violence.
During a raid on his Los Angeles residence, law enforcement discovered items they claimed were intended for use in orgies referred to as “freak offs,” including drugs and over 1,000 bottles of baby oil.
Independently, Mr. Combs faces numerous lawsuits alleging rape and assault.
Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney representing some of the plaintiffs, indicated that more than 100 individuals from across the US have either initiated lawsuits against the rap mogul or intend to do so.
In December 2023, a woman identified in court documents as Jane Doe asserted that she was “gang raped” by Mr. Combs and others in 2003, at the age of 17. She stated that she was given “copious amounts of drugs and alcohol” before the assault.
Mr. Combs’s legal representatives have dismissed the surge of lawsuits as “clear attempts to garner publicity.”
Mr. Combs’s current legal challenges originated in late 2023 when he was sued by Ms. Ventura, also known as Cassie, for violent abuse and rape.
That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed sum a day after its filing, with Mr. Combs maintaining his innocence.
Since then, numerous other individuals have filed lawsuits accusing Mr. Combs of sexual assault, with allegations dating back to 1991. He denies all claims.
His contentious history with Ms. Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CNN released leaked CCTV footage from 2016 depicting Mr. Combs kicking his ex-girlfriend as she lay on a hotel hallway floor.
He issued an apology for his behavior, stating: “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”
In a statement to the BBC regarding the federal criminal charges, Mr. Combs’s lawyer asserted: “In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone – man or woman, adult or minor.”
Diddy’s attorneys later filed a motion to dismiss a portion of the federal indictment in which he is accused of transportation for the purpose of prostitution. His team argued that he was being unfairly targeted due to his race.
During a hearing in New York a week prior to the trial’s official commencement, his attorneys informed the court that the rapper led the “lifestyle” of a “swinger” and was not a criminal.
They stated that he deemed it “appropriate” to have multiple sexual partners, including sex workers.
At the same hearing, prosecutors revealed that Mr. Combs had declined a plea agreement.
Mr. Combs’s legal team has consistently denied the allegations leveled against him in the civil lawsuits, characterizing them as “sickening” and suggesting they were made by “individuals looking for a quick payday”.
If convicted on the racketeering charge, Mr. Combs could face a life sentence.
He is subject to another statutory minimum sentence of 15 years if found guilty of sex trafficking.
Transportation for purposes of prostitution carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Mr. Combs has been in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on September 16, 2024.
Critics have described the prison as overcrowded and understaffed, with a culture of violence.
His legal team argued for his release, citing the jail’s “horrific” conditions; however, a New York federal judge rejected the bail request, describing Mr. Combs as a “serious flight risk”.
Prosecutors previously alleged that Mr. Combs had violated prison regulations by contacting potential witnesses.
They accused him of “relentless efforts” to “corruptly influence witness testimony”.
A judge granted Mr. Combs permission to wear civilian attire during his trial, as opposed to the prison-issued jumpsuits.
When he appeared in court for jury selection, the rapper was wearing a blue sweater and white shirt, with glasses perched on his head.
Mr. Combs – also known as Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love – rose to prominence in the hip-hop scene during the 1990s.
His early success in the music industry included aiding the careers of Mary J. Blige and Christopher Wallace – also known as Biggie Smalls or The Notorious B.I.G.
His record label, Bad Boy Records, became one of the most influential in rap and expanded to include Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez.
Mr. Combs also enjoyed a successful business career beyond music, including a partnership with British beverage company Diageo to promote the French vodka brand Cîroc.
In 2023, he released his fifth album, The Love Album: Off The Grid, and received his first solo nomination at the Grammy Awards. He was also recognized as a Global Icon at the MTV Awards.
Get all the latest trial updates on the BBC Sounds ‘Diddy on Trial‘ podcast available wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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