The jury selection begins on Monday in The sexual trafficking trial From Sean “Diddy” combs, starting the first test of the Court of whether one of the most important hip-hop figures used accumulated power and wealth in the music, clothing and liquor industries to sexually abuse, coerce and exploit alleged victims for decades.
Known for several names over the years: Puffy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy and Love, Comink became a rap entrepreneur in the 1990s, launching the careers of Mary J. Blige, Usher and the big notorious and lending his hip-high credentials to the songs of Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.
Comink, who once proclaimed himself “Bad Boy for Life”, now faces what could be a life imprisonment if he is convicted. Federal prosecutors in New York claim that “he abused, threatened and coerced women” in prolonged sexual orgies with drug fed with male prostitutes that he called “strangers” and threatened them in silence.
Sean “Diddy” Comps meets lawyer Tey Geragos during an hearing before his trial for positions of sex trafficking in the Federal Court of the United States in New York City, on May 1, 2025, in this sketch of the Court.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters
“After strangers, combs and victims generally received intravenous fluids to recover from physical effort and drug use,” the accusation said.
He declared himself innocent of the extortion conspiracy, sex trafficking and transport to participate in prostitution positions, five charges in total. His defense lawyers have said that all his sexual encounters were consensual and have described combs as a swinger who invited third parties to his room.
At an audience last month, Agnifilo seemed to prevail the defense strategy, telling the judge: “There is a lifestyle, calling it swingers, which was that I thought it was appropriate. The reason why he thought it was appropriate is because it is very common.”
By coincidence, the jury selection begins the same day as the MET gala, where combs was once an accessory.
The potential jury began to answer written questions last week to prove what they may have heard about the case, if they can be fair and if they can support a two -month test that is expected to present sexually explicit evidence.
Cassie Ventura, on the left, and be “Diddy” Combs appear at the premiere of “Can’t Stop, Wonn Stop: A Bad Boy Story” on June 21, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.
Chris Pizzello/Inverion/AP, file
The evidence includes a surveillance tape, first transmitted by CNN in May 2024, which shows the surprising combs, kicking and dragging the then Cassie Ventura girlfriend in a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016. The civil demand for Ventura, established a day after it was presented in 2023 without the admission of the admission of the inactivity, provided the prosecutors with a basis for the initiative of the prosecutors. Criminals who led combs’ arrested in September.
Comps apologized for the video at that time, saying: “I arrived at the rock background, but I don’t put excuses. My behavior in that video is inexcusable. I take responsibility for my actions in that video.”
Ventura is an anticipated witness, along with three other alleged victims not yet identified, two of which were given permission to testify under pseudonyms.
Prosecutors are also expected to enter articles seized when federal agents of national security investigations raided the combs houses in Los Angeles and Miami, including more than a dozen electronic devices and Rifles of AR-15-style with disfigured serial numbers.
Days before the trial, federal prosecutors offered Peins the opportunity to declare themselves guilty and save the possibility of a prolonged prison sentence. When asked if he rejected the offer, combs replied: “Yes, I make his honor.”
He has appeared in the court with Monotonous Beige Prison Atue, but the jury will see it with common dress clothes. His family members, including his mother, are expected to attend.
The producer-musician Sean “Diddy” combs poses with the Global Icon Prize in the press room during the MTV Video Music Awards in the prudential center in Newark, NJ, on September 12, 2023.
Angela Weiss/AFP through Getty Images, Archive
His defense team includes Marc Agnifilo and Tey Geragos. They represented the founder of NXIVM, Keith Raniere, who was convicted of conspiracy of extortion and sexual trafficking, the same positions that combs faces.
The defense team also includes Brian Steel, who represented rapper Young Thug in an extortion test in Atlanta, and Alexandra Shapiro, a leading appeal litigator that also represents Sam Bankman-Fito.
The prosecution team of all members includes Maureen Comey, who successfully prosecuted Ghislaine Maxwell for sexual trafficking, and Emily Johnson, Mitzi Steiner and Madison Smyser, who have prosecuted violent crime, and Ganging prosecutor Christy Slavik.
