Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial recap: Hotel security guard says Combs paid $100,000 for video of Cassie Ventura assault; heckler is removed from the courtroom

Yahoo

2 days ago

The trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs continued Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, with two more witnesses — including a hotel security guard who was paid $100,000 by Combs for a copy of the surveillance video showing him beating Cassie Ventura — testifying in the sex trafficking case. Their testimony was briefly delayed by an outburst from a spectator, who was removed by court marshals.
Federal prosecutors say that for decades, Combs abused, threatened and coerced women to participate in marathon sexual encounters called "freak offs" and used his business empire, along with guns, kidnapping and arson, to conceal his crimes.
The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul is facing five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Combs has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
Here are some key takeaways from Tuesday's testimony culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including CNN, NBC News and the Washington Post.
Before Tuesday's testimony got underway, a woman who began screaming obscenities was removed from the courtroom at the request of Judge Arun Subramanian.
The woman could be heard yelling at Combs, 'These motherf***ers are ​laughing at you!'
"Escort her out right now!" Subramanian shouted from the bench.
Combs, seated in his chair at the defense table, glanced at the woman as she was taken away by court marshals.
Speaking to reporters outside, the woman said she was a Combs supporter and was upset about how people attending the trial in person had been mocking him.
"Everyone is laughing at Diddy!" said the woman, who did not identify herself. "It's not right what they're doing to him!"
Big picture: This was the first major outburst of the trial, which is now in its fourth week.
Eddy Garcia, a former security guard at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, where Combs was caught on surveillance video assaulting Cassie Ventura in March 2016, took the stand first. He testified under an immunity order after asserting his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself.
Garcia told the court that he was initially approached by Combs's former chief of staff Kristina Khorram about the footage, which showed Combs kicking and dragging Ventura in an elevator bank. The video was shown to the jury earlier in the trial.
He said he told Khorram that she would need a subpoena to see the video. Combs then called from his personal cellphone saying the video 'could ruin' him if it got out and that he would 'take care' of Garcia if he could secure the only copy. Garcia said he spoke to his boss and they agreed to sell it for $50,000.
Big picture: The video is a key piece of evidence in the prosecution's case as it seeks to prove that Ventura was forced by Combs to have sex with male escorts as part of 'freak offs' held at various hotels.
At a private meeting at a Los Angeles high-rise building a few days later, Garcia said he and Combs got on a FaceTime call with Ventura, who at Combs's direction said she also wanted the video to go away.
Garcia testified that Combs made him sign documents, including a nondisclosure agreement. Garcia then handed Combs a USB drive with the footage. 'Eddy, my angel, I knew you could help,' Combs told Garcia, according to the former security guard. Combs left the room and returned with $100,000 in a brown paper bag, ran the cash through a money counter and handed it to him while warning him not to make any big purchases, Garcia recalled.
According to Garcia, Combs told him to give the extra cash to the other security guards on duty that day. Garcia testified that he gave $50,000 of the money to his supervisor who approved the deal with Combs, $20,000 to another guard involved in the incident and kept $30,000 for himself.
Big picture: The defense team does not dispute the $100,000 payout. But they say it was made to avoid any negative press — and not to obstruct any potential criminal investigation.
Derek Ferguson, the former chief financial officer of Combs's Bad Boy Entertainment, took the stand next. Ferguson told the court that he sometimes reported directly to Combs as CFO of Bad Boy from 1998 to 2012, overseeing budgets and salaries and at times responsible for the music mogul's personal finances.
Financial records from December 2011 submitted as evidence by prosecutors while Ferguson was on the stand showed three $20,000 transfers, including:
An outgoing transfer of $20,000 from Combs to Cassie Ventura on Dec. 14
An incoming transfer of $20,000 to Combs from Broderick Ventura, Cassie Ventura's father, on Dec. 23
An outgoing transfer of $20,000 from Combs to Broderick Ventura on Dec. 27
Big picture: Earlier in the trial, Regina Ventura, Cassie Ventura's mother, testified that Combs had threatened to release explicit videos of her daughter after he learned she was dating rapper Kid Cudi. Regina Ventura testified that Combs wanted $20,000 to 'recoup' his investment in Cassie. She said she was scared for her daughter's safety and that the family took out a home equity loan to pay Combs via a wire transfer. Regina Ventura told the court that the money was returned several days later with no explanation.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey said the government intends to call three more witnesses on Wednesday, including Bryana Bongolan, who previously accused Combs of sexual battery and dangling her over a balcony; and 'Jane,' another one of Combs's accusers who is using a pseudonym during the trial.
'Mia,' a former assistant and the first accuser to testify against Combs under a pseudonym, concluded three days of testimony on Monday.
Comey said that direct examination of Jane will take at least two days, followed by cross-examination that is expected to be of similar length.
Big picture: Earlier Tuesday, prosecutors asked Judge Subramanian to order a news organization that revealed the identity of Mia in a social media post to remove it. Subramanian said he would consider it if the government submitted a formal request.