Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Faces Federal Sex Trafficking Trial: Opening Statements Begin

Key Points:

• Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges commences in Manhattan, with opening statements underway.

• Combs faces allegations of running a criminal enterprise involving coercion, violence, and drug-fueled sexual encounters over two decades.

• Ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura is expected to testify, with surveillance footage from a 2016 incident admissible as evidence.

• Combs has pleaded not guilty; if convicted, he faces a minimum of 15 years to life imprisonment.The Guardian+4IOL+4Reuters+4AP News+1Reuters+1AP News+2Reuters+2The Washington Post+2

Trial Overview

Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, 55, is on trial in Manhattan federal court, facing charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution. Prosecutors allege that Combs operated his business empire as a criminal enterprise, coercing women into drug-induced sexual acts, some of which were recorded without consent. AP News+2The Guardian+2WCIV+2Reuters+2AP News+2WCIV+2

The trial, expected to last approximately eight weeks, began with jury selection and opening statements. Combs has been detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2024, after being denied bail multiple times. ABC7 New York+6The Washington Post+6Cinemablend+6

Key Witness: Cassie Ventura

Central to the prosecution’s case is singer Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former girlfriend, who filed a civil lawsuit against him in November 2023 alleging rape and repeated abuse. Although the lawsuit was settled, Ventura is expected to testify in the criminal trial. Wikipedia+4Business Insider+4WCIV+4The Guardian+1AP News+1

A significant piece of evidence includes a 2016 hotel surveillance video showing Combs assaulting Ventura. Despite attempts by the defense to exclude the footage, the judge ruled it admissible. The Washington Post+4The Guardian+4Cinemablend+4

Defense Strategy

Combs’ legal team argues that all sexual encounters were consensual and part of a “swingers” lifestyle. They claim that the relationships, while possibly toxic, do not constitute criminal behavior. The defense also plans to portray Combs as a victim of mutual domestic violence, suggesting that Ventura was also abusive during their relationship. ReutersBusiness Insider

Potential Implications

If convicted on all counts, Combs faces a minimum sentence of 15 years and could be sentenced to life in prison. The trial is being closely watched, given Combs’ prominence in the music industry and the serious nature of the allegations. AP News+3Reuters+3The Washington Post+3