Sean “Diddy” Combs pleaded not guilty to a superseding indictment on Friday in New York, where he faces serious allegations related to sex trafficking and forced labor. This new indictment includes accusations that he forced one of his employees into sex acts, adding to previous charges from September. These charges involve racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. The trial is scheduled for jury selection on May 5, with a pre-trial conference set for April 25 by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.
Combs Faces Expanded Sex Trafficking Charges, With Additional Victims and Witnesses Testifying
Combs is accused of using his power to force employees to work long hours and threaten them with punishment if they did not assist in a sex trafficking scheme that allegedly spanned over two decades. In an updated superseding indictment earlier this month, prosecutors added three unnamed women to the list of alleged victims of Combs’ sex trafficking operation. The indictment also claims Combs subjected his employees to forced labor under extremely harsh and inhumane conditions, with these new charges expanding the scope of the initial allegations.
Sean “Diddy” CombsDuring the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitzi Steiner revealed that the prosecution plans to submit a letter detailing the names of certain witnesses and victims willing to testify against Combs. The prosecutors indicated that there are up to 20 potential witnesses besides the three primary alleged victims, who could provide testimony about Combs’ alleged misconduct. However, some of these individuals are reportedly fearful of their identities being exposed, prompting the prosecution to request measures to protect their identities during the trial.
Disputed Video Evidence and Combs’ Ongoing Legal Battles Amid Criminal Charges
Prosecutors are pushing to include a video showing Combs allegedly kicking and dragging his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 as part of the trial evidence. However, the defense team has contested the video’s authenticity, claiming it was altered. The defense has conducted a forensic analysis of the footage provided by CNN and argued that it was “substantially altered” in significant ways. CNN, however, has denied these claims, asserting that the footage was not altered.
In addition to the criminal charges, Combs is embroiled in other legal battles. In February, he filed a lawsuit against NBCUniversal and its streaming platform Peacock, accusing them of promoting conspiracy theories about him in their documentary Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy. As the case continues, Combs remains in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he has been since September. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence, but he has denied all allegations against him.