Another ex-girlfriend of Sean ‘Diddy' Combs to testify at sex trafficking trial
Another ex-girlfriend who alleges she was abused by Sean 'Diddy' Combs and forced to participate in drug-fuelled sex marathons is expected to testify on Thursday at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial in New York.
The woman, testifying under the pseudonym 'Jane', is one of several witnesses accusing the music mogul of violence towards them, including his former girlfriend, R&B singer Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura.
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Cassie testified earlier in the trial that she was assaulted numerous times by Combs and endured 'hundreds' of sexual performances known as 'freak-offs', which she says Combs would watch and film.
Jane, a single mother, dated Combs for three years beginning in 2020, about two years after Cassie and Combs' relationship ended.
Prosecutors said Combs' relationship with Jane began as a romance, but soon became reliant on 'freak-offs' in which Jane would perform sexually with male escorts while Combs directed the action.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs in court (Elizabeth Williams via AP)
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges of running his business empire as a racketeering enterprise, allegedly using employees to enable and conceal the sexual and physical abuse of women over two decades. He faces 15 years to life if convicted.
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Judge Arun Subramanian was expected to set ground rules to ensure that the privacy of Jane is protected.
A group of news organisations is challenging a request by federal prosecutors that the court prevent reporters and members of the public from viewing text messages, photographs and other evidence shown to jurors while Jane is testifying.
Lawyers for a dozen news outlets filed a letter on Thursday asking the judge not to deviate from the normal practice of showing evidence on audience monitors in the courtroom and overflow rooms. Prosecutors contend the exhibits contain identifying information about the woman.
When he entered the courtroom, the judge told anyone who watches the testimony not to describe or sketch Jane in a way that could reveal her identity.
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Proceedings were expected to resume on Thursday morning with the defence continuing to cross-examine Bryana 'Bana' Bongolan, a friend of Cassie.
A graphic designer, Ms Bongolan testified on Wednesday that an angry Combs once dangled her over the 17th-floor balcony of a Los Angeles high-rise apartment building in 2016.
She says it traumatised her so much that she still suffers from nightmares. For a time afterwards, she said she would wake up screaming.
Ms Bongolan told the jurors in Manhattan that Combs lifted her over the railing for 10 to 15 seconds before pulling her back and throwing her onto patio furniture.
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'I was scared to fall,' she said. Ms Bongolan also testified she saw Combs abusing Cassie.
Combs' lawyers said Ms Bongolan was a heavy drug user and suggested she may have been high during the alleged attack, which she denies. Ms Bongolan has a pending lawsuit against Combs.
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BBC News
8 minutes ago
- BBC News
As World Pride starts in Washington, some foreigners stay away
Across Washington, large rainbow flags are flying next to the stars and stripes as the city plays host to World Pride, a global celebration of LGBTQ culture and getting the world to come has proved challenging this year. Some international travellers are choosing to skip the biennial event over travel fears, while others are protesting President Donald Trump's Siregar, a Montreal-based data analyst who is transgender, had planned to attend. But travelling to the US at the moment was unthinkable, she told the BBC."It is a risk to now come over and especially as a trans woman," she US capital won the bid to host World Pride years before Trump's re-election. In January, the event's organisers had projected the celebration, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Washington's first Pride march, would attract three million visitors and contribute nearly $800 million to the local economy. But their expectations have now dropped to about a third of their previous estimates. Hotel occupancy rates are also down compared to last year. Ms Siregar, 30, holds both Canadian and US citizenship but says she has been unable to renew her US passport because of new rules implemented by the Trump administration that prevents transgender Americans from changing their gender on official documents. The White House says it is defending "the biological reality of sex".She could travel south with her Canadian passport, but she is worried border agents may not accept her gender, which is listed as female on her Canadian documents. Reports of other foreign travellers being detained and taken into custody have raised her concerns, she said."It's too dangerous to risk it," she said.A spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection said that a person's gender identity does not make them inadmissible. "A foreign traveller's gender as indicated on their passport and their personal beliefs about sexuality do not render a person inadmissible," the spokesperson told the BBC in a statement. "Claims to the contrary are false."But Ms Siregar is not alone in her concerns. Several European governments including Germany, Finland, and Denmark have issued travel advisories for transgender and non-binary citizens travelling to the US. Equality Australia, an advocacy group, also issued a travel alert for gender non-conforming people and those with a history of LGBTQ Canada, one of the country's largest LGBTQ charities, said it was not participating in World Pride because of concerns for the safety of their transgender and non-binary staff. Egale Canada has previously participated in World Pride events in London, Sydney and at home in Toronto."We are very concerned about the general tone and hostility towards domestic LGBTI people in the US, but also to those who may be visiting the US from other jurisdictions," its executive director Helen Kennedy repeated comments about making Canada the 51st US state was also a factor, she added. Ms Kennedy said the organisation wasn't boycotting World Pride itself, but protesting against Trump's policies on LGBTQ issues. Since coming into office, Trump has rolled back some LGBTQ protections, including revoking a Biden-era executive order on preventing discrimination "on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation". He has also banned diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in federal agencies. Supporters say those policies help correct injustices, but others, including Trump, say they are themselves discriminatory. His administration has also banned transgender people from serving in the military and banned federal funding for gender care for transgender youth. It has also threatened to suspend funding for states that allow transgender athletes to compete. Trump has defended his actions, saying trans women in sports is "demeaning for women and it's very bad for our country".Some of these policies are currently being challenged in week, US media reported plans by the navy to rename a ship that had been christened to honour Harvey Milk. The former Navy sailor and activist was the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, in former President Joe Biden held a Pride month event on the White House lawn in 2023 and issued a proclomation in support of the community last year, Mr Trump has not spoken in recent days about the celebration. Asked about the president's position on World Pride, a spokesman for the White House told the New York Times that Trump was "fostering a sense of national pride that should be celebrated daily" and that he was "honoured to serve all Americans." Capital Pride Alliance, the organisation running this year's World Pride in DC, told the BBC it has recieved "an unordinary amount of questions and concerns"."Our celebration is quite literally in the footsteps of the Capitol Building and a block away from the White House, something that a lot of people are conscious of," Sahand Miraminy, Capital Pride Alliance's director of operations, the first time, Pride in DC will have an enclosed perimeter and weapons detectors, he said, in part because this year's event will draw larger crowds than usual. World Pride events will also see an elevated presence of the Metropolitan Police Department's LGBTQ+ liaison unit that will be "first priority" to respond to emergencies, Mr Miraminy Mayor Muriel Bowser acknowledged that visitors "feel scared that an environment is developing that is anti-LGBTQ". But "we can't live in fear, we have to live our lives [and] be as best prepared as we can," she Laczko, the co-owner of Her Diner in DuPont Circle, one of DC's most vibrant LGBTQ neighbourhoods, said she's also increased security for the weekend."I feel like normally with Pride we are ready for the celebration," she said. "And obviously the current administration has put a big damper on that." Although she will not be in Washington, Ms Siregar said she hopes others do visit."I do think that people in the US should attend and be safe in attending," she said. "It's important that people stand up more than ever now."Ms Laczko agrees. "Even joy can be an act of defiance," she said.
Daily Mail
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Step By Step star Christine Lakin, 46, rose to fame as a child actress in the '90s... see her now
Christine Lakin has come a long way since breaking out in Hollywood in the early 1990s. The actress, now 46, got her big break as a main cast member on the sitcom Step By Step, which she starred on for 160 episodes over seven seasons. She played Alicia 'Al' Lambert, the daughter of Patrick Duffy's character Frank, who is getting used to his new marriage to Suzanne Somers ' character Carol. Although critics never paid much attention to Step By Step, it was popular with viewers for several seasons, though ratings began to flag by the show's sixth season. For its seventh and final season, it moved from ABC to CBS, though that turmoil only exacerbated the exodus of viewers, and the show was canceled for good in June 1998. Now, more than two decades after the show that gave her her big break went off the air, takes a look at what Christine looks like now. The film and television actress was spotted out in Los Angeles this week when she attended her son Baylor's Little League game. Christine was dressed in a sporty white tank top that highlighted her toned arms, and she paired it with acid wash jeans and brown Birkenstock sandals. She opted for minimal makeup and covered up with aviator sunglasses and a blue denim-style LA Dodgers baseball cap. Christine carried a bag with her son's equipment, including his baseball bat, and she also brought along a fan for the sweltering late-spring day. Despite being decades away from the role she's best known for, she still looked shockingly youthful. In 2014, she tied the knot with the actor Brandon Breault. In 2016, they welcomed their first child, daughter Georgia James, nine, and in late 2018 she gave birth to their son Baylor B., six. Christine managed to make a successful transition from being a child star to an adult actor after her first series ended, and even though she's never appeared in any film or show as successful as Step By Step, she has continued to be a prolific actor and has even expanded into directing in recent years. After wrapping on Step By Step, Christine — who described herself as a 'recovering child actor' in an interview with Voyage LA last year, became an in-demand guest star on shows including 7th Heaven, 3rd Rock From The Sun and the Touched By An Angel spinoff Promised Land. Christine was dressed in a sporty white tank top that highlighted her toned arms, and she paired it with acid wash jeans, brown Birkenstocks, aviator sunglasses and a blue denim-style LA Dodgers baseball cap. She opted for minimal makeup As the 2000s rolled around, she appeared in episodes of Boston Public, the original Touched By An Angel series, the cult teen mystery-drama Veronica Mars, CSI and Bones. Her next series to get picked up was the CW's Valentine in 2008, but the series only lasted eight episodes. Although she mostly appeared in low-budget films throughout the 2000s, she had a surprising connection to Paris Hilton's attempt to launch an acting career when she starred opposite the heiress in The Hottie And The Nottie (as the Nottie). It took extreme makeup and prosthetics to cover up Christine's natural beauty, though she eventually gets to show off her real visage after a 'makeover.' The film was panned by critics and earned the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for Paris, as well as three other Razzies. The Hottie And The Nottie was also a failure at the box office, grossing only $1.6 million against a relatively modest budget of $9 million. She rounded out the decade with roles in Disney's Race To Witch Mountain — which starred Dwayne Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, Carla Gugino and Ciarán Hinds — and the all-star ensemble romantic comedy Valentine's Day. A year later, she reunited with director Garry Marshall for a small part in his follow-up ensemble rom-com, New Year's Eve. As the 2010s started up, Christine began a successful run as the voice of Joyce Kinney, as well as multiple miscellaneous characters, on the long-running animated series Family Guy. She continued guest starring on shows like NCIS, CSI: NY and Modern Family, and she had multi-episode runs on Melissa & Joey and the Cartoon Network series Clarence. Her film work in the 2010s was less prolific, but she again played a small part for Marshall in his rom-com Mother's Day, which starred Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson and Jason Sudeikis, among many others, and she also returned to the Veronica Mars universe with a role in the sequel film from 2014. Christine has also established herself as a television director begin in 2012, and she got some of her most high-profile directing gigs beginning in 2018 on The Goldbergs. She went on to direct 12 episodes of the series through 2023, along with three episodes of its spinoff series Schooled. More recently, she helmed an episode of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. While speaking to Voyage LA last year, she explained her shift to working more behind the camera. 'I have always been interested in the production of television and the behind-the-scenes action that goes on with live and scripted production. Being a self-starter and creating my own lane with projects was something born out of necessity in a competitive town like Hollywood, but also appealed to my creative brain to constantly try things and bring folks together to create something fun and unique. She added that 'saying yes to opportunities that sometimes scared me, that didn't always seem like a linear path to where I thought I wanted to go' had helped her in the past and motivated her to give directing a try. However, she found road blocks along the way since she hadn't been trained extensively as a director before trying her hand at it. 'It's hard to be competitive for that first big job when you've had no experience at that level before,' she explained. 'The feedback can feel like a Catch-22: You desperately want to prove you can do it, but folks have a hard time taking a chance on someone new.' In the same interview, she noted that being a child actor had been a far different experience for her than it has been for other stars, both those who found success later and those who left Hollywood. 'I had the most fun working as a child and surrounded by wonderful people,' Christine admitted. 'I love the fans that still approach me today and those who are now watching Step By Step again with their kids. There's a nostalgia that, as a fan of that time, I can completely appreciate.'
Daily Mail
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Riley Gaines hits Simone Biles with ultimate comeback as she resurrects gymnast's horrific past in trans feud
Conservative activist Riley Gaines has fired back at Simone Biles with a pointed dig at the gymnast's harrowing past amid their bitter online feud surrounding transgender athletes' participating in women's sports. The USA Olympic hero, 28, launched a scathing attack on Gaines Friday night when she compared her to a man after the former swimmer criticized a Minnesota high school softball team for competing with a trans player. Gaines, 25, who has been one of the most outspoken voices against transgender athletes in women's sports, responded by referencing the horrific abuse Biles and other gymnasts suffered at the hands of pedophile doctor Larry Nassar. 'All the horrific sexual abuse @Simmone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings,' the former collegiate swimmer posted on X following the gymnastics legend's attack. 'You know how many gold medals you'd have if your "inclusive" dream came true? Zero.' Gaines later doubled down, sharing a clip of Biles testifying before Senate about the abuse suffered at the hands of the former team doctor. Alongside it, she posted a screengrab of Biles' tweet. 'Simone Biles when she had to endure a predatory man Vs Simone Biles when other girls have to endure predatory men,' she wrote. Gaines, who tied for fifth with trans swimmer Lia Thomas at the 2022 NCAA championships, later clarified her position, insisting that she hopes Nassar 'spends the rest of his life rotting away and miserable in prison.' She said that the gymnasts were 'failed by a system that protected an abusive man at the expense of the girls' safety.' However, she claimed that female athletes were equally being failed by the same system amid the gender row sweeping through sport. Nassar was a leading doctor at Michigan State and with USA Gymnastics, but used his position within those organizations to sexually abuse young women under the guise of treatment at the now-closed Karolyi Ranch National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas. He was sentenced in federal court in 2017 to 60 years in prison on charges of possessing child sex abuse material. The following year, Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years and up to 125 years, respectively, in two separate Michigan courts for molesting female gymnasts under his care. Biles publicly broke her silence in January 2018, revealing in a powerful tweet that she was one of Nassar's victims. In 2019, Biles revealed that the trauma of the assaults had left her struggling with suicidal thoughts. Gaines has forged a career as a political commentator for OutKick and Fox following her time as a swimmer, where she competed against trans athlete Lia Thomas. Her campaigning has won praise from Donald Trump, who welcomed her to the White House before signing the 'Keeping Men out of Women's Sports' executive order in February. On Friday, Gaines retweeted a picture of Minnesota team Champlin Park celebrating the state high school title that they won with transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger on the team. 'Comments off lol,' Gaines wrote in response to the post. 'To be expected when your star player is a boy.' Gaines clarified that hopes Nassar 'spends the rest of his life rotting away' in prison It sparked a blistering response from Biles, 28, who first criticized Gaines' view and then compared her appearance to a man. Biles wrote: 'You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. 'You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! 'But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!' She then tweeted at Gaines again, saying: 'Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.' Gaines replied: 'This is actually so disappointing. It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform. Men don't belong in women's sports and I say that with my full chest.' She continued: 'My take is the least controversial take on the planet. Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams? Didn't have that on my bingo card. Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028.' Gaines then addressed Biles mocking her appearance, saying: 'And the subtle hint at "body-shaming" ???? Plzzzz I'm 5'5".' Sage Steele, the former ESPN reporter who has also been a vocal critic of trans athletes, backed Gaines up with a fiery tweet of her own. Biles attacked Gaines on X on Friday night after her latest remarks on trans athletes 'Easy to say this @Simone_Biles when you only had to compete against fellow women. Every one of your Olympic medals came competing against fellow women,' Steele wrote. 'Riley Gaines was not only forced to compete against a man, but forced to share a locker room with a man. THAT is SICK. Shocked and disappointed that you'd attack another woman who has done nothing but uplift other women. 'If YOU think it makes sense to create a league for trans people, go for it! Use that huge platform of yours! But to attack Riley for what she has done for little girls who want to be the next Simone Biles is……..sick.' Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, also gave a savage reply to a Trump voter that wrote back to her: 'Simone, there is a reason they have rings in men's gymnastics, and not women's. Male athletes have a biological advantage over female athletes. That will never changes.' Biles wrote back: 'Can you even read? I see we are lacking comprehension skills as well…..' The gymnast has offered no further comment other than to retweet her original post calling Gaines 'sick'. The issue of trans athletes in sports has been a bigger talking point in the US this week with the Minnesota high school team reaching the state championships. Rothenberger is biologically male. At nine, Rothenberger's mother applied in district court to alter her child's birth certificate after their ninth birthday, with the petition being approved, per Reduxx. Rothenberger was issued a new birth certificate showing to be born female, switching their name from 'Charlie Dean' to Marissa.
