Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Sex Trafficking and RICO Trial Began With Sex Worker, Hotel Security Testimony

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The initial day of the second week of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan was filled with momentum, as the jury was confirmed following allegations of potential bias from the defense team. The trial officially commenced on Monday, starting with opening statements and testimony from two witnesses.

55-year-old hip-hop artist, business magnate, and fashion icon, whose meteoric rise from poverty to near-billionaire status through New York was abruptly halted last year by his arrest and a five-count indictment, stood in court on Monday morning as his lead attorney, Teny Geragos, described him. In her opening statement, the second defense attorney informed the jury that Combs, who is accused by federal prosecutors of two decades of abusing women, trafficking sex workers, and using his music and fashion empire for criminal purposes, is not a saint. However, they argued that he’s guilty of domestic abuse, which is true, but he’s not being charged with that. Instead, they urged the jury to find him innocent.

On the day following Mother’s Day, which was on Monday, Combs’ mother took her place in a federal courtroom situated on the 24th floor of a building in lower Manhattan. As she settled down, her son – now with grey hair and a beard – gestured a kiss towards her from afar. In a quiet whisper, he said, “Hello, mom, I love you.

Before the jury selection process was completed, the defense put forward a “Batson challenge” against the prosecution, implying that the dismissal of eight potential Black jurors might suggest racial discrimination in the selection process. However, the government swiftly countered this claim by providing valid reasons for these jurors’ dismissal: one appeared to be biased towards seventeen names she recognized could appear during the trial, while another expressed concern about losing 30% of his income for eight weeks on the jury, yet seemed unfazed, raising suspicions that he might have an ulterior motive. Judge Arun Subramanian ultimately dismissed the Batson challenge, and the jury was finalized.

Sean Combs is a complex individual, but this trial isn’t about complexity. It’s about emotions like love, jealousy, and betrayal, as well as money,” Geragos stated in court, explaining the alleged motivations of the women who would testify as defendants. “There’s been a lot of commotion surrounding this case for over a year… Now it’s time to silence that noise.

Combs asserts his innocence on all five charges presented in the indictment, claiming that he is not responsible for any of the alleged offenses.

Prosecutor Emily Johnson took much less time than Geragos – roughly 30 minutes compared to an hour – to present the federal case against the fallen superstar to the jury: Over twenty years, Combs allegedly worked with his business and trusted employees to stalk, harass, and abuse, including forced sex and drug use, two women in his life. These women are identified as his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura and a woman he met in 2020 who is now referred to as Jane.

Johnson initiated legal action against Combs, recounting what federal authorities claim was a narrative of a solitary night in the defendant’s life. Upon discovering that Ventura was out with another person, he and his bodyguard reportedly sought them out. According to the government, this led to an incident where Combs is alleged to have abducted one of his staff members, harassed his former girlfriend, and brutally assaulted her when she was found. On Monday in court, descriptions of his purported misconduct included a story of Combs throwing Ventura to the floor of a vehicle and stomping on her face, followed by orchestrating a cover-up by his staff to keep her at home for a week while she recovered.

It’s claimed that Ventura was pressured by Combs into taking part in “competitions,” often in hotel rooms where she was given drugs like Ecstasy or MDMA without consent and was involved in numerous sexual encounters with multiple male escorts over time, while Combs watched and masturbated. Johnson testified that some of these competitions lasted for days and the participants needed IV-drips to recuperate afterwards. In an attempt to exert control over his girlfriend, Combs, who had signed Ventura to his Bad Boy Records label for a 10-album deal (only one of which was released), allegedly threatened to sabotage her music career by leaking videos showing her having sex with male escorts, according to the federal authorities.

In 2020, Jane, who is a single parent, was one of the individuals Combs was romantically involved with among several others. She claims that she too was pressured into taking part in “freak-offs” ordered by the rap mogul. When she found out that his other romantic interests were being treated to trips and meals, Jane confronted him about it. According to prosecutors, Combs responded by brutally assaulting her, breaking down several doors as she tried to escape, choking her, kicking her to the ground, and then rushing off to another “freak-off” appointment he had scheduled earlier.

The defense argued to the jury that this case is essentially about a wealthy Black man with unusual sexual preferences, surrounded by envious women who covet his wealth. Throughout her extended speech, Geragos emphasized that Ventura did not file a police report but instead sued Combs twice for millions of dollars. The subsequent out-of-court settlement by Combs, the day after she filed her lawsuit, seems to have triggered the deluge of civil lawsuits now being faced by Combs.

1. She posed a question to the jury: “Can you consider, how many compelling reasons might this witness, under oath to tell nothing but the truth, have to fabricate lies?”

2. During the proceedings, Geragos confidently indicated to the jury that they would observe the reunion of Cassie and Combs, which has been six years in the making.

3. On Monday afternoon, two individuals testified: Israel Florez, a former security guard at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles who captured footage of the controversial 2016 attack on Ventura and Daniel Phillip, who was hired as an escort for what was referred to as a “competition.”

The jury viewed footage presented by prosecutors depicting Combs assaulting Ventura at a hotel, where he repeatedly struck and kicked her before hurling a vase at her. Two cellphone videos and three security cameras from the hotel captured this incident. Florez testified that he recorded the attack on his phone so he could later relay the details to his spouse.

The jury watched videos showing Combs attacking Ventura in a hotel, where he hit, kicked, and threw a vase at her. Two people’s cellphones and three hotel cameras caught this event. Florez said he recorded the attack on his phone so he could tell his wife about it later.

As a gamer speaking about my personal experience, let me share that Ventura appeared terrified following the attack, and I had this gut feeling he was offered a bribe by Combs. When Combs handed him a stack with a hundred-dollar bill on top, he whispered, “Keep it secret.” In response, I told him, “I don’t need your cash. Just head back to your room.

Phillips’ account focused on the “unusual incidents” he was part of with the couple, particularly the extended sexual activities that were often referred to as “hotel nights” by the defense. In 2012, the male entertainer was asked by Ventura to join the couple at the Gramercy Hotel in Manhattan, according to his statement. Upon arrival, he was dressed in red lace lingerie, and Ventura expressed her wish to do something extraordinary for Combs. The evening began with a massage using baby oil, as he described to the court.

This event led to him having sex with Ventura while Combs observed from a white robe, and he was remunerated with a few thousand dollars, leading to his repeated hiring to reenact the situation, he claimed. During his testimony, he mentioned an instance where Combs requested a photo of Phillips’ driver’s license; the sex worker perceived this as a form of intimidation. Another time, he alleged that he witnessed Combs becoming aggressive with Sunderland, dragging her by the hair and slapping her in another room after she asked him to wait for a moment.

After facing several challenges from the prosecution, defense attorney Xavier Donaldson switched tactics during his cross-examination of Phillip. It turned out that he wasn’t seeking money during his interactions with the couple; instead, he shared with the court that he was thrilled to be part of their world and found it fulfilling to associate with such prominent individuals.

Ventura was scheduled to testify on Monday, but the testimony from these two men concluded the day’s proceedings. The trial is set to resume at 9:30 a.m. ET on Tuesday.

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2025-05-13 03:55