Sean “Diddy” Combs, the hip-hop artist who became a magnate which was once the image of black male excellence, will face a jury next week on allegations that he used his money and his power to commit sexual traffic and other crimes.
The federal prosecutors in Manhattan accused combs on a racketeering chief of conspiracy, a sex trafficking leader by force, fraud or coercion and a transport manager to engage in prostitution in September 2024. Last month, they also contributed to two additional accusations of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transport for prostitution.
They allege that Combs’s Enterprise, which includes Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises and Combs Global, was a criminal organization with illegal activities dating back at least 2008. Combs and its associates used their power and their prestige to engage in sexual trafficking, forced work, prostitution, crimes of narcotic, deactivates it.
He added that Combres was forced by the victims by “physical violence, promises of career possibilities, granting and threatening to retain financial support and by other coercive means, in particular by following their fate, dictating the appearance of the victims, monitoring their medical records, controlling their housing and providing them with controlled substances.”
Combs rejected an unspecified advocacy agreement last week and denied the charges against him. The 55 -year -old man is now confronted in life prison if he is found guilty in this high -level trial, which should last about eight weeks.
The jury selection process
The jury selection started on Monday. The process involved chisel 150 potential jurors at 12 final jurors and six alternates. Potential jurors were questioned about their experiences with sexual assault and abuse, their prospects on the application of laws and government and their musical taste, among others.
They were also asked if they knew certain celebrities. This list of celebrities includes, in part, Kid Cudi, Yung Miami, Dawn Richard, Michael B. Jordan, Aubrey O’Day and Ye, formerly Kanye West.
Several reports said Combs asked the judge to take a short bathroom break in the middle of the jury’s selection because he was “a little nervous”.
What is the next step
Maddy Marr / Miami Herald / Tribune News Service via Getty Images
The declarations of opening of the trial, which will not allow video cameras or photography in the courtroom, should start on Monday, about seven months after the indictment and arrest of Combres and the arrest at the Brooklyn metropolitan detention center in September 2024.
Documents indicate that at least three people who have made accusations against Combs and a former employee will take a stand.
The Combs defense team includes lawyers Marc Agnifilo, Teny Geragos, Alexandra Shapiro, Xavier R. Donaldson, Anna Maria Estevao, Jason Driscoll, Linda Moreno and Nicole Westmoreland. Brian Steel, who worked on the defense of Young Thug during the Rico trial against him, is also part of the Combres defense team.
According to Reuters, the defense team faces a “difficult battle” with their aim of discrediting the stories and the credibility of the accusers.
His lawyers argued that Combs was “distinguished” because he is a black man and that transportation to engage in an accusation of prostitution is racist.
“It is not uncommon for couples to use such services to bring a third person – including, as a man claims here – through the state lines and in their intimate relations,” said lawyers, according to court documents.
“However, no other person, and certainly no white person, has never been continued before under the law on the circulation of white slaves for having hired male escorts of another state. Mr. Combras was distinguished because he is a powerful black man, and he is prosecuted for driving which remains unique.”
Prosecutors said they also had “images and videos of monsters with several victims”.
The accusation act says that the monsters “were developed and produced sexual performances that the combs arranged, directed, masturbated during and often recorded electronically” during which the combs consume drugs to “keep the victims obedient and in conformity”. They often lasted for several days, and the people involved required IV for the recovery of physical effort and drug use, added the indictment.
However, the defense insists that videos show consensual sexual acts.
“Any equitable spectator of the videos will quickly conclude that Mr. Combres’ prosecution is both sexist and puritan,” wrote the lawyers for Combs. “It’s sexist because government theory perpetuates the stereotypes of the victimization of women and the lack of agency.”
Combs quarry
Charles Sykes / Invivision / AD via Associated Press
Since arriving in the 90s, Combs has gone through many names, notably P. Diddy, Puffy, Puff Daddy, Brother Love and Love. He founded the Bad Boy Records label in 1993, which presented emblematic artists like The Notorious Big, Faith Evans, 112, Mase and more.
Combs is also known for successful songs like “I Need a Girl”, which has several iterations and features, and “Bump, Bump, Bump” with B2K, as well as the series of reality competitions “Making the Band”. He also founded the revolt of the media company in 2013.
Finally, it has commonly known as a kind of ultimate in black male excellence which organized extravagant parties on list A, but the federal authorities claim that “the multiple facets commercial empire” had turned into a “criminal enterprise”.
Other proceedings and evidence
These are not the first set of accusations against Combs. He was involved in several cases of violence throughout his career.
However, the tides officially turned against Combs when her ex-girlfriend, the singer-songwriter Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, filed an overwhelming complaint against him in November 2023. His 35-page complaint accused him of domestic violence, abuse and exploded Kid Cudi’s car, with whom Ventura had a brief adventure. But the costume was quickly settled the next day.
His trial paved the way for other accusers to come forward, with dozens of additional proceedings afterwards. Several accusers said that alleged abuses had taken place when they were minors.
Many of the other proceedings against him include claims by Freak-Offs.
Combs publicly denied the accusations in December 2023.
“Enough, that’s enough,” said Combs at the time.
“Decreasing allegations have been made against me by people looking for a quick salary,” he said. “Let me be absolutely clear: I have done none of the horrible things alleged. I’m going to fight for my name, my family and for the truth. ”
More accusers have emerged during the months, as well as documentaries on their legal problems.
Then, in March 2024, inquiries of internal security survey made a descent into the houses in Los Angeles and the Miami region. In the end, they discovered drugs, a disturbing amount of baby oil and lubricant, ammunition and many firearms, including three AR-15.
Months later, CNN published heartbreaking video sequences of him Ventura, kicking, hitting and dragging in a corridor of the Los Angeles hotel.
Combs then addressed his actions in a video where he did not say “I’m sorry” nor mentioned the name of Ventura.
“I was screwed up,” he said. “I mean, I reached the bottom of the rocks. But I did not make any excuse. My behavior on this video is inexcusable. “
The American lawyer’s office in the South New York district refused HuffPost’s comments. The Combs team did not respond to the request for comments from HuffPost.
